'i 







7)r6U)ti .V K>i4^rnv'(i hy h'.C.hrx 



THE 

ANCIENT AND MODERN HISTORY 

OF 

NICE; 

COMPREHENDING 

AN ACCOUNT^ OF THE FOUNDATION 

OF 

MAKSEILlLESi 

TO WHICH ARE PREFIXKD 

Descriptive Olservations on the Nature, Produce, and Climate^ 

OF 

THE TERRITORY OF THE FORMER CITY, 
AND ITS ADJOINING TOWNS, 

WITH 

2.n 3fntrotiuctiott, 

Containfng Hints of Advice to Invalids, vt'lio, with the Hope of Arresting the Progress 
of Disease, seek the renovating Influence of these salubrious CUmes. 




By I. B. DAVIS, M. D. 



ONE OF THE BRITISH CAPTIVES FROM VERDUN, 

AUTHOR OF " PROJET DE RtGLEMENT CONCERNANT LES DjTcIs,' AND 

MEM15EROF SEVERAL MEDICAL SOCIETIES. 



'^ Orbis niiraculum Nicaea est." 



" Vertumne, Pomone, et Z^phyre 
Avec Flore y regnent toujouis ; 
C'est I'Asyle de ienrs amours, 
Et le trone de leur empire." 



iLontion : 
PRINTED FOR TIPPER & RICHARDS, 

LEADENHALL-STREET, 



180/. 




'^fSn£;^^i^^ 



AVIBAVW^ '())F I^RC'IH 






Printed by Dewick and Clarke, 
Aldersgate-slrect, 



# 



v,>^ 






TO 

The Right Honorable 

XORD VISCOUNT SUDLEY, 



My Lord, 

In being allowed to 
dedicate the following pages to your 
Lordship, I feel a sentiment of pride 
and pleasure, as it affords me an 
opportunity of publicly expressing 
my sense of gratitude, for the many 
personal civilities you have shewn 
me. 

This fresh instance of your in- 
dulgence sufficiently evinces your 

Lordship's generous zeal for my 

a 2 



IV DEDICATION. 

interest and welfare ; and calls 
forth a testimony of the unfeign- 
ed respect and regard, which I have 
for several years uninterruptedly en- 
tertained for your Lordship, and 
been long anxious to acknowledge as 

My Lord, 

Your Lordship's 
Most obedient, most obliged, 
and faithful, humble Servant, 

I. B. Davis^ 

Tower, Feb, 26, 1807. 



PREFACE. 



There are two principal reasons for 
which I venture to trouble the public with 
this work ; the first is, to benefit the inva- 
lids who seek to repair the ravages of disease 
in a climate celebrated for its temperature ; 
the second, to record the beauties and anti- 
quities of a country which has always held 
a distinguished rank in the annals of every 
age. 

Presuming that it is not less a desideratum 
to dispel the fear of danger, restore serenity 
to the mind, and banish sorrow, when the 
body droops under the pressure of disease^ 
than to convey information under an en- 
tertaining and captivating form, I have at- 
tempted to accomplish this double object 
2 



VI PREFACE. 

by exhibiting to the valetudinarian, and the 
traveller, whose pursuit is pleasure, such a 
series of amusements, scenes, and incidents, 
as are calculated to benefit the one, and 
divert the other. 

Who can for a moment doubt but that 
health is more likely to return when the path 
to the acquirement of it is strewed with 
flowers ; when the painful burthen that 
overwhelms the soul is alleviated by agree- 
able occupations, and when anxiety is ex- 
changed for patience and resignation ? Awai'e 
of this, it has been, my endeavour to combine 
remedy with amusement, in the full per- 
suasion, that a change of scene never fails 
of brightening the couch of sickness, of be- 
coming the source of consolation, and 
the anchor of hope. 

To describe the endless variety of nature's 
works in the enchanting plain of Nice ; to 
trace all the beauties that dehght the senses; 



PREFACE. Vll 

and relate the achievements of a warlike 
people, is, it will be admitted, a difficult 
undertaking ; but implicitly confiding in the 
candor and liberality of my countrymen, 
I found an encouragement to persevere; 
and the public will be umpire how far I 
have given a proper colouring to the picture, 
of which this is the outline. 

The favorable opinion I entertain of the 
efficacy of the shores of Nice in arresting 
disease, induces me to observe, that the 
despondent invalid may there rest his long- 
ing eye, and look with confidence to his 
recovery : there may he, without much 
reluctance, bring his mind to submit to the 
painful sacrifice of* flying from his native 
country, and, for a while, renouncing the 
society of his dearest friends : there may 
he also find consolation in the enjoyment of 
the numerous beauties of perpetual spring, 
her genial warmths, and refreshing dews 



Vlll PREFACE. / 

when winter, with an icy sceptre, reigns 
uncontrolled over less auspicious climes. 
The first straggle surmounted, the noon- 
day zephyr, with all its wonted gentleness, 
will regale his drooping senses; the air, 
perfumed by the blossoms of the flowery 
fields which embellish that delightful scenery, 
retains a sweetness and a vigour in it, that 
will revive his feeble frame, diffuse a senti- 
ment of serenity over his anxious mind, and 
conduct him imperceptibly, and by a pecu- 
liar charm, to health and happiness. 

Nor here should I omit impressing on the 
mind of the sanguine valetudinarian, that, 
though he should droop and sicken, where 
he looked for a quick return of health, yet 
may his suspended breath, which announces 
his fear and disappointment, resume its 
wonted course, and the vital principle re- 
animate; neither should he, thus encouraged, 
and where remedy is arrayed in so much 



PREFACE. IX 

beauty, repine at the tardy alleviation of 
his pains. 

It has also been my study in composing 
the following pages, to interest both the sick 
and healthy individual : T trust, therefore, 
that the man of the world, retiring from the 
tumultuous intercourse of society, and in 
search of the charms of a tranquil residence 
at Nice, will peruse the following pages 
with profitable pleasure, and be induced in 
consequence, to contemplate with eager 
curiosity the beauties that ravish his sight 
on that favored plain. The harmony and 
variety there seen, in the animal king- 
dom, wdll doubtless prove a source of in- 
struction and entertainment to the naturahst; 
the botanist wdll also have his delights in 
tracing the picturesque beauties of the vege- 
table world, in a state of the highest per- 
fection ; and the antiquary enjoy a rich 
repast, in the contemplation of the pictures 



X PREFACE. 

which the history of the country successively 
unfolds. 

The work is divided into two parts, and 
each of those sub-divided into sections ; the 
jfirst, comprehends an introduction, contain^ 
ing hints of advice to invahds, who, with 
the hope of arresting the progress of disease, 
seek the renovating influence of these salu- 
brious climes; the topography of Nice; an 
account of the character, language, com- 
merce, &c. of the Nissards ; and descriptive 
observations on the nature, produce, and 
climate of the country, together with the 
topography of some adjoining towns: the 
second contains the ancient and modern 
history of Nice, with a description of the 
original inhabitants of the country, and an 
account of the foundation of Marseilles. 

Here it is in place to notice, and I can- 
didly avow, that I have collected materials 
for my work, though many were lost diiring 



PREFACE. XI 

my captivity, from numerous authors enti- 
tled to full credit, to which sources of in- 
formation I neglected not to join those which 
I obtained by oral communication. 

I am anxious also to apprize the reader, 
that I have not undertaken this task, with- 
out a conviction of my great inferiority in 
the rank of those travellers who have ex- 
celled in the descriptive and amusing parts 
of historical and geographical narrative. 



ERRATA. 

Page 19. . for assuetu's, read assiietns. 

23.... re9it re9oit. ^ 

46. . . . Avissa Avisio. 

60 Whoitley Wortley. 

63. . . . amourOus. . . . amorous. 

7S.... Phoceans.... Phocasans. 

225. . . . intercpaetis. . . intercaptis. 

•290. , , . uncle Robett. , gran^^^tli^ei' Robert, 



INTRODUCTION. 



Having witnessed with great concern and 
astonishment, the rapid progress of pulmo- 
nary complaints in the English, at Nice, in 
'the winter of 1802, 1 anxiously seized every 
opportunity of inquiring into the causes of 
the unfavourable changes which manifested 
themselves soon after an arrival in the coun- 
try, or to what circumstance the increase of 
symptoms was to be attributed in a climate 
which promised great advantages to this 
class of invalids. It would not be in the 
least embarrassing to prove the utility of 
such an enquiry, for reasons obviously 
advantageous to those whose cases require a 
change of climate : nor should I lay myself 
open to contradiction, in asserting, that the 



XIV INTRODUCTION. 

situation of the greater part of the sick, v/ho 
reached the southern provinces of France, 
was hopeless. 1 may also advance with 
similar confidence, that of all the diseases 
incident to the human body, consumption 
is the one that demands a co-operation of 
every means that art can invent, and supe- 
rior talent direct, to cure pr controul. 

It is a difficult task, if not impossible, to 
prescribe general rules for the treatment of 
a pulmonary complaint, that has already 
made a certain progress, and to successfully 
ward off a variety of nlenacing symptoms 
that have their origin in age, peculiarity of 
constitution, stage of disease, change of 
climate, and a variety of accidental circum- 
stances. But it is at least, often in the power 
of the physician, who accompanies an in- 
valid, to counteract various symptoms, 
which, if neglected, would augment during 
a journey, and perhaps speedily lay the 



INTRODUCTION. XY 

ground- work of an incurable affection ; as 
it is also next to an impossibility for an 
absent phj^sician, to direct the management 
of a patient under any of the above circum- 
stances, 

I believe, and examples corroborate the 
opinion, that changing the residence of 
consumptive persons to a mild climate, often 
arrests the progress of disease, and not un- 
frequently re-establishes health: but in those 
cases, the lungs are not sustaining tuber- 
cular inflammation, nor have they, probably, 
in any other way experienced the changes 
requisite to constitute true phthisis. 

In recommending a change of climate, 
we ought first to notice the ability of a 
patient to support a long journey, his habit, 
then the stage of the disease, the season of the 
year, and the kind of weather in that season. 
The stage of the complaint is certainly of 
the first importance, but unless the other 



XVI INTRODUCTION. 

circumstances be well observed also, inci- 
pient disease will put on a confirmed form 
before the arrival at the place of destination; 
so that though seemingly of a secondary 
consideration, they often decide on the fate 
of the patient. 

If a dominion of cold winds in autumn 
creates inflammation of the mucous mem- 
brane which is spread over the bronchiae 
in persons in health, it is reasonable to con- 
clude, that the lungs of a delicate female^ 
already too irritable, will become more so, 
and from the slightest excitement proceed to 
active inflammation. 

I am persuaded, that if the health of persons 
\s ho arrive at Nice, could be contrasted with 
the health of those in a similanstate in Eng- 
land, at the time the former quitted it, we 
should find in a number of instances, that 
instead of being benefited by the journey, 
they were weaker, their coughs more violent 



INTRODUCTION. XVll 

and accesses of fever more frequent. Nay, 
these changes often occur on the journey, 
sometimes accompanied with pain in the 
side, great shortness of breathing, h^moptoe 
and purulent expectoration. Notwithstand- 
ing all the skill and attention of medical at- 
tendants, it often in such cases happens, 
that the patient ends a miserable life in some 
comfortless inn, or under less violent symp- 
toms is prevailed on to resume the journey, 
and then pays the debt of nature on the 
spot where he expected to regain his 
* health. 

This is a common occurrence, and obliges 
us to acknowledge, that patients quit Eng- 
land at too late a period, when every reme- 
dy has been tried in vain, and that the for- 
lorn hope of a change of chmate is the only 
one that remains. Consulted by some at 
Nice, by others at Montpellier,. I usually 
had to contend with a disease in its last 

b 



XXm INTPvODUCTlON. 

stage, where I was obliged to employ every 
remedy that could mitigate, though but 
for a short time, the violence of predominant 
symptoms* I found commonly upon enquiry, 
that the complaints of these persons were 
muchless violent before they left England, and 
that accidental difSculties on the road had 
every now and then occurred, and invariably 
added to the patient's sufferings. 

I think that people, who have the 
more alarming symptoms of phthisis, such 
as hectic fever, violent cough, purulent 
spitting, and extenuation to a certain de- 
gree, and indeed in whom the disease has 
not yet acquired so deep a root, ought never 
to risk a journey to Nice. I would also 
add, that if luider favorable circumstances 
an- invalid should attempt the experiment, 
and that his cough grew worse on the road, 
and fever came on, he should immediately 
desist from traveUino:, and await an entire 



INTRODUCTION. XIX 

disappearance of these symptoms before he 
resumed thejournev. 

Our hopes of success in controlhng this 
disease are slight, unless a seasonable period 
be chosen to try the influence of a milder air, 
a circumstance proving in itself that a delay 
in England, of a few weeks duration only, 
may be of the most pernicious consequence. 

I am well aware, that physicians recommend 
their patients to go abroad long before the 
consent of their friends is obtained, and that 
an entire season not unfrequently elapses 
before they agree to change the climate. 

It appears to me, that those patients who 
derive little or no advantage from summer 
weather in our own country, are "not very 
likely to be benefited by a winter's residence 
at Nice. If mild weather here produces no 
favorable change in them, nor in any degree 
lessens the violence of disease, what advan- 
tage are they to expect from the climate of 

b2 



XX INTRODUCTIOlNr. 

Nice ? I think not any. It is only from the 
persuasion that temperate air and gentle 
exercise do good, that it is advisable to re- 
commend a journey to them, for in that 
case a winter's residence in London would 
probably prove fatal, and might be highly 
useful at Nice. But if on the contrary, the 
patient's health decays gradually, and the 
symptoms of his complaint are equally se- 
vere at all times, I should use the whole of 
my influence to keep him at home, and 
there provide him with all the little comforts 
his situation required, and which he would 
look for in vain in a foreign country. 

Every accurate observer, who has been 
sent to the Continent, to conduct patients 
with consumption, will, I think, unite with 
me in opinion, that convalescence is only to 
be obtained by strictly conforming to these 
premises. 

If-it should in any case be decided for an 



INTRODUCTION. XXI 

invalid to go to Nice for the benefit of his 
health, I hope the following advice to him 
may prove acceptable, especially as I ima- 
gine him to be without a physician. How- 
ever strong the necessity may be for con- 
sumptive people to strictly adhere to the 
rules I shall prescribe for them, it is by no 
means requisite for other invalids, whose 
debilitated frame is their sole ailment, to 
follow them with the same exactness. The 
person's inclination, convenience, and taste, 
may be permitted to guide him in the choice 
of a regimen and residence. 

Thq difficulty with which travelHng 
is attended in the southern parts of France, 
and the general want of comfortable bed- 
ding, are circumstances that render it pru- 
dent for a delicate person to take a bed 
and blankets with him. He should in the 
next place, take great care to avoid the 
j^vening air, which in autumnal months is 



XXll INTRODUi:TION. 

very apt to give cold, and he should com- 
mence his journey by short distances, aug- 
menting them as he finds his strength, 
capable of the fatigue. 

The traveller must expect a vast deal of 
shaking, whether he is in his own carriage, 
or in one of the country, a circumstance 
that is vexatious to every one, and often 
detrimental to delicate women, especially in 
a state of pregnancy. People who are used 
to the roads in England, can have no idea 
what a source of embarrassment they prove 
in France. In order, therefore, to avoid 
such an inconvenience, the patient had bet- 
ter continue his route from Avignon to Nice, 
by water, as by far the worst part of the 
road is from the former to the latter place. 
This perhaps might subject him to some 
difficulty, but the voyage would most likely 
contribute to his recovery, which would not 
alwaysbe the case, if lie shouldtravel by land. 



INTRODUCTieN. x%m 

Arrived at Nice, he should take a laxative 
draught, remain quiet for tv^^o or three 
days, Kve upon very light food, drink diluting 
liquids, and by these means carry off any 
little heat and irritation the journey might 
produce. 

A suitable residence is not always the 
easiest thing to obtam. There is a number 
of handsome houses in the Croix de Marbre, 
but I think they are too near the sea for 
consumptive people. . The best adapted, are 
those on the surrounding hills, which are not 
only the most pleasant, but the most healthy. 
They are less exposed to the evaporations of 
the sea, but are, it is true, rather difficult of 
access. 

It is a singular fact, that the inhabitants 
of Nice and Provence always send their 
consumptive patients away from the sea, to 
avoid the irritation occasioned by the eva- 
porations of the salt water. We, on the 



XXIV INTRODUCTION. 

contrary, order them to live by the sea 3ide^ 
A dry atmosphere would be more suitable in 
affections of the chest, accompanied with 
excessive relaxation of the membrane of the 
bronchia?, and which is always ascertained by 
a copious glairy expectoration ; but where the 
cough is very troublesome and without any 
spitting, then a habitation near woods, and 
in the vicinity of aqueous exhalations, would 
be more eligible, and of this kind, many are 
to be found amongst the hills around Nice. 

When the invalid is imable to go out, he 
should take great care that his apartments are 
not over-heated. They should never exceed 
64 degrees of Farenheit, nor be under Go. 

But J lay the greatest stress on equitation,, 
when he is capable of supporting th^ exer- 
cise. Without seeking to explain the man^ 
ner of its curing a variety of chronic com-^ 
plaints, we may just observe, that it in- 
fluences generally all tl^e functions of life; 



INTRODUCTION, XXT 

Changes are produced in the order of the 
circulation, as well from the inhalation of 
an invigorating air, as from the diversion that 
variation of scene occasions. It is, however, 
W^ith riding as with every other part 
of the system recommended to be pursued; 
a suitable season, and seasonable |iours, 
are both required to employ it to advantage. 
A patient can hardly venture out before nine 
in the morning, nor after three, at least not 
imtil the spring approaches, and then he 
may go out at an earlier hour. I consider 
equitation as one of the most powerful reme- 
dies in consumptive cases, and 1 can ensure 
' much benefit from it, if the patient should 
have the resolution to persevere in its usQ. He 
^hould not be discouraged, although no visi-^ 
ble amendment appears at the end of a 
month or two, for that would in most cases 
be much too soon to expect convalescence, 
^n agreeable freshness will by degrees pene^ 
tr^te the whole body, the resjpiration, w\\\ 



XXVI INTRODUCTION. 

become freer, and the functions of life mqre 
animated : new health will circulate in every 
vein, and pure serenity reflect a sentiment 
of happiness upon the whole day. 

The strongest argument in favor of this 
preventive remedy, in short, of exercise of 
any description is, that those whose occu- 
pations in life compel them to remain in the 
open air a great part of the day, and to 
undergo much bqdily exertion, are found to 
be more exempt fi'^m phthisical tendeiacy y 
than any other class of people. It may be 
here also proper to remark, that nothing is 
more likely to encrease the disposition to 
pulmonary consumption than inactivity, 
unfavorable positions of the body at a work- 
table, for by this means the circulation of 
the blood through the lungs is incomplete ; 
and it rarely happens, unfortunately, that 
one of these causes alone contributes to pro- 
mote phthisis: to all the ills arising from 
confinement, mav be added, those which a 



INTRODUCTION. XXVil 

warm and stagnant atmosphere commonlj 
rpet with in the apartments of this descrip- 
tion of invaUds rniist inevitably produce. 

In order to render our plan completely 
successful, it will be highly essential to 
enforce with every suitable argument, the 
propriety of warm clothing. In general we 
do not sufficiently advert to the good effects 
arising from a proper envelopement of the 
body in flannel, to ensure its constant use. 
Not only the chest, the neck, the arms^ the 
legs, and feet, should be well covered with 

this appropriate clothings but in short, every 

* 

part of the body; and it would be highly 
advantageous, were the person to cover 
the head and face, whenever exposed 
to the atmosphere, vvith a hat lined with 
fur, which should closely encircle the face, 
and a f^r tippet so placed round the 
peck, chest, and face, as to prevent irri- 
tating particles from falling upon the lungs. 



XXVIU INTRODUCTION. 

In vain will a phthisical invalid look for a 
return to health, even in a temperate cli- 
mate, unless he strictly conforms to these 
rules, for although the variations of the 
temperature of the atmosphere are more 
uniform, yet he should pay great attention 
to every collateral aid. 

To air, e:5^ercise, diet, and clothing, we 
must not forget to add warm bathing, 
which certainly acts as a preservative against 
pulmoiiary disorders, by promoting a regular 
perspiration, and allaying febrile heats. 
Great benefit has been known to follow the 
daily use of the tepid bath, for half an 
hour; an accelerated pulse has been ob- 
served to become uniform ; hectic heat has 
disappeared ; and the progress of the disease 
has been evidently arrested. The tepid 
bath does not increase debility, but on the^ 
pontrary, produces healthy excitement. 

I differ with those who think a residence 



IKTRODtrCTIOIT. XXI JC 

in this country for a few months sufficient 
to accomplish a recovery. The changes 
which climate produces are slow, and re- 
quire an abode of two or three seasons. I 
admit it is a great sacrifice to leave our 
friends, our native soil, and all the comforts 
attached to an English habitation, for so 
long a time, but surely we are compensated 
for it, in the recovery of health, and the 
agreeable amusements which the country 
offers. At the time convalescence is sought, 
the mind may be delighted by the study 
of botany, mineralogy, and zoology, every 
one of which may be here prosecuted 
with the highest satisfaction. Thus an 
antidote is found to languor, while instruc- 
tion is afforded to the mind. A life spent in 
this way, w^ould re-produce vermillion on 
the cheeks of the pallid fair, and instil new 
health into her frame, when she perhaps the 
least expected it. 



XXX . lI^TRODUCTIOl^i 

To these useful means employed abroad> 
tnay be added, an agreeable society at home; 
but it should not be such as in any degree 
implicates the personal ease of the valetu^ 
dinarian, especially by exposing him to an 
impure atmosprierC;, arising ^ from a number 
of persons in the same room. 

With regard to the diet of invalids, much 
must depend upon their temperaments. In 
general every kind of wine and fermented 
liquor is injmious, and in place of them> 
whey, butter-milk, barley and rice water, 
toast and water, water with orange juice, 
and refreshing drinks of a similar kind, should 
be substituted. Ragouts, spices, and salted 
aliment, must also be rejected. Instead of 
them, light soups, vegetables, fish, panadas 
of bread and of biscuit, new laid eggs, the 
flesh of fowl and of rabbit should be taken, 
and in short, that sort' of diet which is cal- 
culated to afford an abundance of nutritious 



IKTRODUCTIO^^* XXXl 

aliment. The exhausted state of the consti- 
tution of phthisical people, renders it highlj 
necessary to pay great attention to this part of 
the regimen. Unless nature be well sup- 
plied with wholesome food; the tendency to 
phthisis will in my opinion be augmented. 
The diet may be sometimes composed of 
milk, vegetables, and farinaceous seeds. 
Jellies, and when milk diet does not ex- 
clude its use, ripe fruit, such as oranges, 
pomegranates, figs, boiled apples, baked 
pears, and the peach \\'hen it agrees w^ith 
the stomach ; but of every fruit, perhaps, 
the grape is the best : it is a nutritious 
aliment, and one of the most salutary nature 
bestows on us. I recommend them to 
be taken morning and evening, with a 
biscuit or a crust of bread. The grape is 
also a remedy for consumption, and had 
been said to have cured it oftener than once. 
Care should be taken to choose only those 
that are quite ripe. 



XXxil iNTRODtrCTIGN. 

The lettuce, as a vegetable, is one I would 
advise the use of. It refreshes exceedingly 
the stomach, and allays feverish heats. 
Cauliflower, endives of various sorts, dande- 
lion, and young roots, may all form a part 
of the diet. 

Patients should not be confined to certain 
hours of dining, nor should they make a 
full meal. They had better eat often, and 
at any hour they may please. 

I have no doubt, but that persons who 
arrive in this country with a tendency to 
consumption, or even with incipient phthisis, 
may, by adhering to the ruks here prescrib- 
ed, recover their health, and live to enjoy 
the society of their friends, who looked with 
dismay to the consequences of an alarming 
disease. 



THE 

ANCIENT AND MODERN 

HISTORY OF MICE. 



A 



SECTION L 

TOPOGRAPHY OF NICE* 



.T the western extremity of Italy, upon the 
shore of the Mediterranean, and the banks of the 
rapid Paglion, close to the foot of Montalban^ 
we discover Nice, remarkable for the mildness of 
its climate, the antiquity of its foundation j and 
the vicissitudes it has experienced. It commands 
the most extensive plain in the department of the 
maritime alps, and abundantly produces all the 
necessaries of life. The mountains, which over- 
hang Nice to the east^ defend Villefranche. It 
presents, from its situation, a most formidable 
barrier, and bounds the chain of mountains which 
takes its course through Piedmont. A part of 
the town of Nice faces the south, but by far the 

B 



^ TOPOGRAt>ttY. 

greater part is to the north. It extends to the 
north on the Turin road, and on the east is barri- 
caded with rocks ihat have set at defiance the 
eiforts of the most potent states in Europe. Its 
greatest length is from north to south, the latter 
extremity forming an angle by its communica- 
tion with the ramparts, the port, and the Paglion. 
It is at the western angle that the Paglion, after 
pursuing its usually devious and lengthened course 
through the adjacent country, rushes with im- 
petuosity, when swelled with rain, into the sea, 
and presents a noble coup d^ccil to the spectator. 

Nice is elosely encircled on its eastern side by 
mountains, which, as they retreat from the Medi- 
terranean, slope gently to the north, until be- 
coming more and more advanced, they form a 
semicircle, which is completed beyond the Var, 
and upon that surprising mountain the Esterelles, 
The plain thus formed is encroached on by the 
sea, which, meeting no obstacle, has produced a 
most delightful bay, extending as far as Antibes 
to the west, and to a corresponding prominence 
on the shores of Italy to the eaat. 




* TOPOGRAPHY. 3 

Kic€, in its present state, does not exceed a 
mile and a half in length, and about a mile in 
breadth. The suburbs and the town are divided 
by the Paglion ; but in the summer months the 
waters are so low that the inhabitants pass and re- 
pass on a bridge of planks, which they construe! 
in order to obviate the circuit they are obliged to 
make by traversing the stone bridge. 

The Paglion may be considered a very dan- 
gerous neighbour for Nice. If the ramparts be 
not raised, or some other precaution taken, it is 
much to be apprehended it will inundate the 
town, particularly the new end of it. This ac- 
cident had nearly happened in November, 1803. 
The bridge was rebuilt in 1531, at the expence 
of the town, in consequence of its being carried 
^way by the impetuosity of this river.* Upon a 
stone placed near the bottom of the bridge are 

inscribed these lines : — 

" Pons sacer ! eithaustas celsis de montibus undas, 
Respuit etrapidas hie Paglronis aquas/* 

* RevelU says, in his Diary M. Sr 1530, '* Die Dominica 
iiona Octobris, maxima aquarum inundantia Nicaeae Pontem, 
possessiones ac rauros innanaerabiles violenter ruinanterc^ue 
dejecit.*" 

b2 



4, TOPGGRAPHYr 

It is likewise recorded that the fall of waters 
had been so considerable, and the Paglion so ex- 
tremely augmented, that, in 1744, some thousands? 
of French and Spanish troops were lost in at- 
tempting to cross it during an engagement with 
some Piedmontese soldiers. 

The ancient splendour of Nice has greatly suf- 
fered from the many sieges it has been exposed 
to. The triumphant army of Francis I. and the 
fleet of the Ottoman ^ pirate, Barbarossa, almost 
consumed the town and destroyed the edifices. 
The effects of its deterioration were^ for a while, 
lost sight of in the repairs accomplished by the 
generosity of the House of Savoy, but, gradu- 
ally losing its former consideration, and ever 
involved in war, the monastery, churches, con- 
vents, and other pubHc buildings, have almost all 
since fallen into decay. 

Anterior to the French revolution, Nice was 
infinitely more interesting than at present, though 
its pristine magnitude and importance had already 
been considerably reduced. Of its ancient sub- 
urbs there only existed at that period the 
2 



TOPOGRAPHY. i 

relics, and especially of those which ran in a 
north easterly direction from the gate of Pairolera. 

The extensive suburbs, which equally embel- 
lished the road on the western side of the stone 
bridge are now reduced to those of the Croix de 
Marbre, but being of modem architecture are 
spacious and lofty, and the usual residence of 
opulent strangers. 

The castle, built on the summit of a steep 
rock, and once deemed impregnable, with all the 
fortifications which defended the town, are 
now but a heap of ruins. During the war of 
succession it was taken by Marshal Berwick, 
fifty- five days after the trenches were opened. 
The garrison, which was reduced to six hun- 
dred men, forced the commandant to capitulate. 
Berwick ordered it to be demolished in conse- 
quence of the express commands of Louis XIV. 
The walls of the remaining rampaits are by no 
means strong, though when Nice was under the 
sovereignty of Duke Emanuel Philibert, the whole 
town, castle, fortifications, and walls, v/ere in the 
best state of defence. Bastions were erected in 



6 TOPOGRAPHY. 

several places, and many precautions taken tA 
augment the force of the outworks. 

There are two fine squares at Nice. The 
houses which form Place Victor are regularly 
buiit, and have piazzas. It was intended undeir 
the government of the House of Savoy to erect 
the statue of the prince whose name it bears. A 
monument of some kind is wanting to counteract 
its uniformity. Since the French have added this 
part of the continent to their dominions, the 
Place Victor has taken the name of Place de la 
Republique. The road to Turii^ has its begin- 
ning here, and forms a large opening in the square : 
another pass to the right, leads to Villef ranch© 
and the adjacent hilU. 

The south west quarter of the town is the 
handsomest, and of modern architecture. The 
streets are wide and run in a straight line. The 
public walk is in this neighbourhood, and is a de- 
lightful resource in the summer, when the &«n is 
above the horizon. Its beautiful scenery is, how- 
ever, much obscured by the terrace which 
stretches along the coast. In the middle of the 



TOPOGRAPHY. 7 

walk a fountain has been lately constructed, 
whereon a paltry figure has been erected, repre- 
senting Catherine Sequeiran, heroine of Nice, 
with a Turk at her feet, whom she had knocked 
down with a club. The fact to which this alludes 
constitutes a memorable event in the History of 
Nice. 

In the eastern part of the town are the univer- 
sity, hospital, and botanical garden ; but the 
streets throughout are so narrow and dirty, that 
few people take the trouble to go thither. A 
foul air also circulates around, which annoys every 
body but the inhabitants, who are habituated 
to it. 

The shops are well stored, but small, dark, and 
filthy ; a number of people occupy the same 
house, which, added to the circumstances just 
mentioned, by no means renders a residence inr 
that quarter desirable^ 

Nice possesses a theatre, which awakens the 
hopes, without realizing the expectations, of the 
public. The edifice, without being despicable, 
offers little to admire, and, perhaps, it is not m 



8 TOPOGRAPHY. 

unfortunate circumstance, that, in such a warm 
climate, the valetudinarian should be so little 
tempted to expose his health. It is sufficiently 
Jarge for the nurnber of spectators ; but a com* 
mon failing in this, and most provincial theatres, 
is that the finances of the company (}o not adr 
mit of an illumination sufficient to give the 
objects an interesting colouring. The decorations 
and scenery are exceedingly indifferent, while a 
small expence might render the house commodi^ 
ous and tasty, apd the affluence of strangers en^ 
courage the directors to procure rnore worthy per-f 
formers. 1 learn, that previously to the revor 
lution the theatre was well frequented, and the 
company on a better footing. 

It is absolutely necessary for those who live in 
the suburbs to have a carriage, which may be 
hired for the day or the evening ; the sanje thing, 
in point of payment, for fifteen francs, or at the 
rate of fifteen pounds per month. Whether you 
use your own carriage, or the coachman's, the ex- 
pence is just the same, although the convenience 
}^ materially different. 



TOPOGRAPHY. ^ 

The public library, though the foundation is of 
jnodern date, contains a number of volumes, and 
some manuscripts. It is open every day to th^ 
public, but, as there are not many scientific men 
at the present day in Nice, the arts and sciences 
are not so much advanced by them as they might 
be. Fortunately for the Nissards, the hbrary hasj 
escaped the pillaging hands of the revolutionists 
in the last war, an omission they could not justly 
be taxed with throughout the republics of Italy 
and other countries which they subdued. The 
jibrarian is a man of considerable information, and 
takes much pleasure in shewing attention to 
strangers. 

. The port is situated where there were very 
fine gardens formerly. It was left unfinished at 
the time the county of Nice passed under the do- 
minion of France, and was to have extended as 
far as the Place de la Republique. It is defend- 
ed at its entrance by a mole, which is by no means 
handsome, and often requiring repair on account 
Qf the violence of the surf, and the consequent 
yielding of the stone- work. The government has 



10 TOPOGRAPHY, 

it in contemplation to repair it, and to prosccut0 
the other works. A greater service cannot be 
rendered to the department, and to Nice in par-f 
ticular, to which a good port would be a sQurce 
of riches. Besides, it is of much consequence to 
piedmont, being the only place where the pro-* 
duce of that part of Italy can be exchanged for 
what is imported by sea. The entrance to the 
port is so small, that vessels of great burthen can- 
not enter ; but small coasting vessels, feluccas, 
and open boats, are commonly to be met with in 
it. On the side of the harbour are several good 
warehouses, which, since the peace, are agaii^ 
open to merchandize. 

The port is very commodious to those who 
are fond of swimming; but the entrance into 
Jt I think more so. The months of December 
and January are not too cold for bathing ; on the 
contrary, I never omitted the opportunity when 
it was in my power. There are boats and men 
at the port whom you engage, at a louis per 
month, for this purpose ; but, as the shore is 
rather dangerous, it is difficult to embark, either 



TOPOGRAPHY. IJ 

behind the Croix de Marbre or elsewhere. Yotj 
must therefore put up with the inconvenience 
of riding or walking to the harbour. With re- 
spect to meer bathing, ladies should venture in 
with great caution, and never stoop without 
taking hold of a rope w^hen a wave passes them. 
There is no convenience for that salutary purpose, 
those, therefore, who are willing to try, must 
adopt the plan proposed, or run the risk of re- 
ceding with a w^ave, which, on account of the 
rapid descent of the coast, retires with equal cele- 
rity and strength. 

A handsome terrace supports and consolidates 
the baeks which oppose the inroads of the sea, and 
forming a delightful walk for the inhabitants, may 
be considered amongst the principal embellish- 
ments of the place. The lodgings situated on the 
terrace are not v^ry numerous, but command an 
extensive view of the Mediterranean. The ter- 
race often e^^hibits a concourse of the heau-monde 
of Nice. The English families seldom reside in 
this quarter, though there are very few parts 
fither of the towni or suburbs where they could be 



19 TOPOGRAPHY. 

more comfortably situated. It is seldom that the 
invalid cannot exercise himself on the terrace ; 
and if the day be fine, the beauty of the surround- 
ing prospect must infuse new hilarity and life into 
his veins. The pubhc walk is close to |he sea, and 
extends from the port to the extremity of the 
ramparts, forming a very considerable circuit. It 
is generally well frequented at five or six in the 
evening. The inhabitants, who for the most part 
amuse themselves on the terrace or the walk, for 
two or three hours, go from thence to the theatre, 
and there conclude the amusement of the evening. 
Descending the stairs on the left, which lead 

you into the town, is another walk, parallel with 
the terrace, agreeably shaded by a row of trees, 

whose extended foliage forms a canopy of the 

most refreshing nature during the burning heat of 

summer. There is also a walk which leads 

quite round the town, and is delightful from the 

T^riety of views it commands. 

On leaving the Place de la Republique to go to 

the ramparts you see the Paglion, the suburbs, 

and the chain of hills, which stretches from north t© 



TOPOGRAPHY* IS 

south, forming a semicircle. Advancing onwards 
you have a dehghtful perspective of the sea and 
coast as far as Antibes, which is pecuHarly beau- 
tiful by the light of the moon, when her pale and 
sombre beams, streaming through the dusky 
waste, quiver on the wave, and tint the adjacent 
hills with a soothing association of light and 
shade. 

I visited Nice at a very unfavourable mo- 
ment, and write rather to describe the marks 
of barbarian fury than the ingenuity of the archi- 
tect. The rage of the revolution, carried to an 
almost inconceivable excess, has scarcely left 
any hotel or mansion of grandeur without marks 
of degradation. 

The houses in the suburbs of the Croix de 
Marbre, and on the side of the road leading to 
the Var, as well as a variety of buildings in the 
town, have all shared the same fate. 

Nice has been continually involved in a succes- 
sion of misfortunes. In the year 1218, 1 6 1 S, and 
1644, but principally in July and August, 1564, 
the villages of St. Martin, Bolena, Belvidere. 



14 tOPOGRAPHY. 

Venanson, &ct were nearly destroyed by att 
earthquake. It is said that the shock wa^ so 
great, that it stopped the course of the Vesu* 
bia for some hours, that chasms opened large 
enough to receive entire mountains, and that 
others fell with a frightful ''crash. Since then 
the bottom of the port of Yillefranche is observed 
to be lowered. 

The misfortunes of this town terminated in 
1748 for a while, and day after day improvements 
became more general, obliterating in some de- 
gree the scenes of misery and devastation she 
had been so often doomed to witness. But, in 
the year 1799, an epidemic visited thei town, 
and carried off a sixth part of the population. 
The first cause of the disease was the continual 
motion of the troops: without exaggeration, a 
million passed through Nice in the course of the 
revolution. It is well known that the armies 
were frequently in want of every thing. Bad 
nourishment and bad clothing were sooji followed 
by the most distressing consequences. The 
hospitals, which were crowded; could not accom- 



Manners and chahacter. II 

tiiodate all the sick, a circumstance which obliged 
ihe inhabitants to lodge them in private houses: 
infection was by this means soon propagated, and 
every house became a lazaretto. 



SECTION 11. 

MANNERS, CHARACTER, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, 
AMUSEMENTS, OLD AND NEW ADMINISTRA- 
TION, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTUR,ES OF 
THE NISSARDS. 

The Nissards differ in their manners froM the 
inhabitants of Provence and Italy. Sordid interest 
and unprincipled selfishness, notwithstanding the 
allegations of many travellers, are by no means 
the characteristics of every class of this people. 
The Nissards are in general mild, humane, peace- 
able, and complaisant. They are gay, lively, and 
pleasant in company; in one word, their manners 
upon the whole are interesting, and congenial with 
the mildness of the climafee. . The inhabitants of 
the country, though poor, and, as it were, seques- 
tered from the world, are civil, and perfect 



16 MANTVERS AND CHARACTER. 

Strangers to the vic^ engendered by luxury, and 
to the violent passions which agitate the great. 
They are constantly occupied in providing for 
the subsistence of their families, in cultivating 
their fields, or watching their flocks. Nothing 
can equal their persevering patience at work ; no 
obstacle disheartens them; and they bear with 
equal firmness, bodily fatigue and mental anxiety. 
Fashion has not extended her imperious dominion 
over them, for they still retain the dress and man- 
ners of their forefathers. Whenever a traveller 
arrives in any one of their villages, let him be ever 
so little known to them, they hasten to welcome 
him, and invite him to partake of their frugal re^ 
past. They often give up their beds to strangers, 
and in every respect present us with an emblem 
of ancient hospitality : but this character only ap- 
plies to the inhabitants of the interior of the coun- 
try. Towards the frontiers of Piedmont they are 
irascible, and subject to gusts of passion, which 
frequently produce very desperate conflicts. When 
they cannot find employment at home, where 
there aie neither commerce nor manufactures. 



MANNERS AND CHARACTER. 17 

they seek a subsistence in foreign countries* Those 
who can afford to buy a little merchandize hawk 
it about the country, until they acquire enough 
wealth to begin shop-keeping. With such small 
beginnings, by arrasgement and economy, some 
of them have left fortunes, which their industrious 
children have augmented to immense property, 
even to millions sterling. There are many in- 
stances of this kind, and two are well known at 
Lyons and Marseilles : one is the house of Folo- 
san, the other is the family of Bruni, two mem- 
bers of which were presidents of the second 
chamber of the parliament of Aix before the 
revolution. 

It is from the northern district that so many of 
them emigrate with their organs, cymbals, and 
magic lanterns, to amuse the people and children 
over all Europe. After an absence of eight or ten 
years, the greater part of them return with some 
httle savings, which assist them to enlarge .their 
fields, to buy cattle, and get married. Tired of a 
wandering and laborious life, they return to finish 
their days under the humble roof that gave them 

c 



IB MANNERS AND CHARACTER. 

birth, far from the noise and tumult of towns. It 
is there they relate to their children what has most 
attracted their attention in their travels. It might 
be supposed they would contract some of the 
vices prevalent in great towns ; they retain, how- 
ever, their former simplicity of manners and indus- 
try. They consider their present situation happy 
when they compare it with the fatiguing life they 
have led to attain it; even their little vanity is 
gratified in being considered the richest of the 
hamlet, respected by all, and looked upon as the 
oracles of the country. These advantages turn 
the heads of the young peasants, and make them 
sigh for an organ and magic lantern. 

The inhabitants, particularly those on the coast, 
live very frugally: a small quantity of bread (for 
lately the pound of twelve ounces has been sold 
from four to six sols), with some fruij, herbs, and 
vegetables, generally compose their food*: some- 
times they have a little salt fish, very rarely any 
fresh, and still more rarely meat. The effects of 
t^is mode of living on their persons are veryvisi- 
hl«: corpulency and florid complexions are seldom 



MANNERS AND CHARACTER. 19 

to be met with : the most of them, particularly 
near Monaco, are tawny and very thin. The forced 
sobriety and labour of these people reoail to mind 
the assuetu's malo Ligur of Virgil. ^ 

It is probable that the state of these unfortu- 
nate Ligurians has undergone little or no change 
during the lapse of two hundred years. In the 
greater number of the small towns and villages 
situated in the interior part of the country, and 
among the mountains, the peasants have neither 
clocks, sim-dials, nor barometers of any descrip- 
tion : the crowing of the cock, and the position of 
the stars, regulate the hours of the night, and the 
course of the sun those of the day. The inhabir 
tants, by their observations of the planets, will tell 
you the hour with nearly as much precision as if 
it were indicated by a clock. They also predict 
with a great degree of certainty the changes of 
the weather. Passing most of their time in the 
fields, and being endowed with a quick sight and^ 
retentive memory, they collect a number of httle 
factSjVhich enable them to acquire a kind of con- 
fused foresisfht that resembles in s^reat measure. 

C 2 



fO MANNERS AND CHARACTER. 

that instinctive presage of approaching changes of 
weather which we observe in animals. By this., 
and with the assistance of some local circum- 
stances, such as a fog at a certain hour, and on a 
certain part of the horizon, a cloud of a particular 
colour on the top of some mountain, or the flight 
or chirping of birds, they can prognosticate the 
alterations of weather as well, if not better, than 
any meteorologist. 

With respect to the persons and appearance 
of the Nissards, they have nothing very agreeable 
or interesting. The men have a very tawny com- 
plexion ; their face is rather flat, and their eyes 
small and dark. They are of a good stature, and 
Well made, but for the most part thin. The wo- 
men are neither ugly nor pretty, neither dark nor 
fair : most of them are of an intermediate com- 
plexion. Their society would be more agreeable 
were their understandings better cultivated, and 
the French language a little more familiar. There 
are, however, many exceptions to this in several 
^f the towns, particularly at Nice. They dress 
nearly in the same manner as in other parts of 



LANGUAGE. 21 

France: some of them still wear fringed caps, 
which become them very well, and to which a 
stranger is soon accustomed. In their dress they 
appear to prefer white to other colours. I recol- 
lect going to the cathedral of Nice on a holiday, 
and on entering my eyes were quite dazzled with 
a display of snowy white, which is rarely to be 
seen elsei^^here. This habit, which is expensive 
in large towns, is here very suitable to the climate^ 
where they have frequently six months of the year 
without rain. 

LANGUAGE.-»-REUGIOUS CJ^iREMONIES. 

The language of Nice, and of that part of the 
department contiguous to the Var, is the dialect of 
Provence, mixed with a number of words derived 
from the Itahan. This patois is not unintelligi- 
ble to the inhabitants of Marseilles, though that 
of Monaco, at the distance of four leagues from 
Nice, is entirely so. The patois of Monaco differs 
from that of Menton ; each of them is composed 
of the dialects of Provence, Liguria, and Pied- 
mont; but the idioms of the two latter predomi- 



22 LANGUAGE. 

Bate. A few Spanish words have crept into thend, 
which might have been expected, as the Spani^ 
ards kept a garrison at Monaco, while that princi* 
pahty was under their protection. They pro- 
nounce the final syllables in a singing tone. Be-^ 
fore Julius Caesar, three different idioms were 
known in Gaul 1. The Cantabric, of which 
there are yet traces in Biscay. 2. The Belgic, 
which is a root of the German. 3. The Celtic 
which was employed from the Mediterranean to 
the British Channel. 

The Celtic was used in Provence till the fourth 
century, by which time the Phoceans had gene- 
rally made known the Greek language, and the 
Romans had introduced the Latin. The Celtic 
idiom became softer by this mixture, but less 
pure. The Goths, Huns, Vandals, Lombards, and 
other barbarians, introduced their particular idi- 
oms, so that about the tenth century a language, 
composed of all these jargons, took the name of 
Provencal. From the tenth to the seventeenth 
centuries, the African, the Arragon, Spanish, and^ 
Italian expressions gradually crept in. The ^V^-^ 



LANGUAGE. 93 

peror Julian said the Gauls croaked like crows, 
and the inhabitants of Draguinan have to this day 
a guttural pronunciation. At Grasse the language 
is cadenced. 

The French language is not so generally used 
in the department of the maritime alps, as could 
be wished : every where, except in that part of 
the country belonging to the diocese of Glan- 
deves, the Itahan is used for education : hence, 
even some of those employed in public situations 
write bad French. As people go regularly to mass 
and sermons, it might be useful to direct the mi- 
nisters of worship to deliver their instructions in 
French. Even at Monaco, the Itahan is preferred, 
though the French have been there upwards of 
one hundred and fifty years. 

" La langue Provencale,^^ says Mr. Dulaune, 
" qui est generalement en usage a Marseilles par 
ses mignardises et ses diminutifs r^cit dans la 
bouche des femmes un charme qui reflue sur celles 
qui la parlent tandis que chez un homme du peu- 
ple elle rebute par ses sons aigus, ses durs et aigres 
grasseyemens.'^ I here present the reader with 
a specimen of the dialect of Provence. ^ 



24? RELIOION. 

It is the Lord's Prayer, Gopied from a celebrated 
work presented to one of the Popes, containing 
that Prayer in all the known languages. 

" Oratio Dominica provinciali dialecto." 

^^ Nouastre Paire qu^ sias oou ciele, que vouas^ 
tre noum siegue santificat ; que vouastre rouyao^ 
ume nous arribe. Que vouastre voulounta siegue 
facho su la terro, coumo din lou ciele. Dounas^ 
nou encui nouastre pan de cade jou. Pardounas- 
nou nouastrei ooufensos coumo lei pardounan k 
n'aquelei que nous an ooufensas. E nou leissez; 
pa sucoumba a la tentatien : mai dejivra nou doou 



maou." 



^' En sin sie.'^ 

It is however probable that the French language 
will ultimately obtain universal reception, as all 
the proclamations and orders of governmept are 
liow published in it. 

Thp Nissards are fervent in their devotion, and 
though not altogether exempt from superstition, 
are less credulous than the inhabitants of other 
places in the same department. I extract from the 
author of a- Tour through the Maritime Alps, the 
following account of the devotion of the inhabit- 



RELIGION. 25 

ants of Monaeo.— " Having witnessed their re- 
ligious ceremonies during the whole day, which 
were performed with great fervor, after vespers 
there was a grand procession round tlie square, 
which is before the church. Two beings, sick 
with the palsy, were dragged about by their friends 
and relations ; and, besides the fatigues of a long 
journey, they were exposed with their heads bare 
to the scorching rays of the sun, which occasioned 
the most violent perspiration. They continued 
this excessive exercise for a long time, in confident 
expectation of a miracle being worked. How^ever, 
theHoIy Virgin was not pleased to use her interces- 
sion, though I amfarfrom disputing her influence ; 
nor, what was still more singular, did these ex- 
treme measures produce any favourable or un- 
favourable crisis. While some accompanied the 
procession, others in the church were imploring 
the Virgin. Women and children were seen 
prostrated before the altar, stretching forth their 
suppUcating hands, and rending Heaven with 
their cries. This scene being as disgusting to the 
'philosophic eye of reason as the wretches dragged 



S0 RELIGION. 

nbout at the procession, I retreated under the 
shade of a wild fig-tree, and meditated on the 
weakness and infirmities of the human race. 

'' Several towns and villages in this department 
have a saint celebrated for the cure of some dis- 
ease. The inhabitants of Monaco possess St. Ro- 
man, who cures quartan fevers ; other fevers are 
not under his controul. St. Devote is the patron 
of the town, and in truth his name and the fame 
of his miracles have not a little contributed to its 
welfare. An orator composes an annual penegyric. 
I was present at that delivered last year. It 
would be difficult to forjn an idea of the absurd 
fictions delivered from the pulpit. These holi- 
days are not always appropriated to devotion. 
While some are praying others are seeking less 
holy amusements, not forgetting dancing, without 
which, these people could not exist. In general 
they have not much religion ; but this is not the 
only instruction in which they are deficient. 
Whether it proceeds from a want of taste for the 
sciences, literature, and the arts, or whether they 
kaTe not the means of procuriag instruction, I 



AMUSEMENTS. £/ 

cannot determine, though I imagine that both 
of these causes operate. Ail branches of know- 
ledge are here in their infancy. Tbeh favourite 
study is jurisprudence, which, before the con- 
quest, opened the way to places of emolument."'^ 

Before I take leave of this subject I ought to 
observe, in justice to the Nissards, that I never 
witnessed any thing in their worship deviating 
from the strictest decency and most fervid de- 
votion. All the religious ceremonies, commonly 
performed in other Catholic countries, are scru- 
pulously observed at Nice ; and, though the au^ 
thor of a tour through the department of^ the 
maritime alps has justly rallied the inhabitants 
of some parts of the country upon the absur- 
dity of their devotion, his remarks do not, nor 
could they, with the least truth, apply to the 
Kissards, 

AMUSEMENTS OF THE INHABITANTS OF NICE. 

The beau-monde at Nice generally ride or 
walk out in the morning, and content themselves 
with an airing along the coast of the Mediterra- 



2^ft AMUSEMENTS. 

nean upon the road leading to the Var, or by the 
banks of the Paglion, near which runs the great 
road to Turin. Such was at least the custom of 
the inhabitants previously to the revolution, 
whose society proved an agreeable change for 
strangers^ who came thither from most parts of 
Europe. It must be confessed that these roads 
ere not now much frequented by the Nissards, 
except on a Sunday; the revolution having 
ruined the richest families, there remain but few 
whose circumstances or education put them on a 
footing to keep company with strangers. No 
roads but those just mentioned are practicable for 
carriages; the curious, however, may find an 
infinite variety of agreeable walks and rides be- 
tween the enclosures of the country, and in the 
various valleys which intersect the mountains in 
almost every direction. 

Balls are frequent in the winter, to which the 
Enghsh and other strangers of rank are invited. 
It was formerly usual to give one or two in return, 
but, to the best of my recollection, that custom 
was omitted in 1802. 



AMUSEMENTS. 29 

The Carnival is, of all festivals, the most cele* 
brated and gay, and is here, as in all Roman 
Catholic countries, observed very scrupulously. 
Scenes of festive mirth are very general among 
the better classes of society, and prove a source 
of pleasure and entertainment to the stranger. 

The amusements of the lower classes are ri 
diculous enough, though they can scarcely 
surpass the motley assemblage of every rank and 
every description at a masquerade. It is an in- 
teresting scene to witness the gaiety of the pea- 
sants and their families at wakes, which are held 
in several villages at certain periods of the year. 
The diversions of all, young and old, consist for 
the most part in dancing, singing, and in music^ 
jBufFoons perform to the gaping spectators, and 
entertain them highly by their burlesque ges- 
tures. 

The respectable families assemble alternately 
at each others houses, and pass the evening at 
cards, in concerts, and in dancing, when a party 
to the play is not made up. 

With respect to the customs which obtain, m 



35 GOVERNMEKT. 

tlie general intercourse of the society of the Nis- 
sards, the traveller will find little or no difference 
from those which prevail generally throughout 
the neighbouring districts^ of France. 

OLD AND NEW GOVERNMENT OF NICE—BOARD 
OF HEALTH. - 

^HE king of Sardinia, to whom the county of 
Nice belonged, took great pains in regulating the 
laws which applied to the judges and magistrates. 
Justice was administered in three supreme courts, 
established under the name of the Senate of 
Turin, Chanibery, and Nice. It was stipulated 
by the princes of the House of Savoy, that the 
persons appointed for magistrates should make 
oath tliat they neither gave silver nor gold, nor a 
compensation of any sort, for the situation with 
which they were about to be invented : that they 
would be true and trusty to the employment 
given them, exercise their authority with justice, 
and decide, and advise, without the least regard 
to persons implicated whenever so required to do- 



Moreover it was enacted that, represenring the 
king, they should support the dignity of their 
station in a manner suitable thereto. At the 
courts of Turin, Chambery, and Nice, the Appels 
d€s Baillages^ and other matters of adjudication, 
were determined. Of the three senates, Turin 
held the first rank, and was composed of three 
presidents, two attorney generals and their sub- 
stitutes, an advocate general for the poor, and 
twenty-one senators, who were formed into three 
chambers, two for the civil and one for the crimi- 
nal. The senate of Chambery consisted of two 
presidents and ten senators, an advocate, an at- 
torney general, some substitutes, and a clerk of 
records, all which were divided into two cham- 
bers. ^ ^ 
. The senate of Nice had only one president, 
six counsellors, and so on in proportion. The 
members of the senate were not allowed to ab- 
sent themselves from the town where the meet- 
ing was held, on the day of their assemblage, 
without permission from the king or the first 
president. When the meeting was opened, no 



39 GOVERNMENT. 

member could go out, nor could the president 
give them permission. Any counsellor revealing 
the secrets before them was liable to be deprived 
of his place. The examinations of advocates 
were exceedingly rigid, a circumstance on which 
the King of Sardinia insisted with much severity. 
The senators were obliged to interrogate the 
candidate for forensic advancement, and satisfy 
themselves of his being eligible for the office 
he aspired to. In the same manner were they 
obliged to examine the deputies of provincial 
chiefs, and other subordinate officers, before 
they could take possession of their places. In 
short, unless merit obtained appointment, money 
or interest were unavailing, even ignominious, 
subjecting either party to penalty or disgrace. If 
an advocate undertook an unjust cause he was 
' suspended from his employment, and obliged to 
refund the cost to his client. It was ordered 
that the examination of the attorneys should be 
more rigorous than those of the barristers. They 
were under the necessity of seeking numerous 
' certificates, and after all were not received 



GOVERNMENT. S3 

unless they had practised a year under the Pro- 
mreur of Nice, Turin, or Chambery. * 

Any person aiding the escape of a deserter was 
punished by working two years in the galleys, 
which was more severe if in time of war. The 
King of Sardinia was remarkably strict with re- 
gard to natives always residing in his kingdom. 
No family could relinquish their estates to fix 
themselves in another country without incurring 
a penalty of five hundred crowns, and five years 
labour in the galleys. If an absence exceeded 
ten years, all their goods were confiscated, even 
though permission were granted them either by 
the king or governors of districts to go abroad. 



* The obligations required for taking an oath in a suit for 
money, exceeding the amount of four hundred francs, were 
the most severe imaginable. The words composing the de- 
claration were enough to make the hardiest shudder. The 
attestation to the Almighty of their not being in debt to that 
amount was most sacred, invoking the omnipotent to bear 
witness, and demanding his chastisement in case their decla- 
rations were false ; that he would never give them succour or 
consolation -, that he would afflict them with perpetual mis- 
fortunes J and that his curse should be eternally on them. It 
was less rigid when the debt was smaller. 



34? GOVERNMENT. 

Any subject that placed his money in a foreign 
bank, was at least forced to pay to the treasury 
a sum of the same amount. The king did not 
allow any other decorations than those of the 
country to be worn, with the single exception of 
the order of Malta, which was universally ad-r 
mitted. The dukes of Savoy had many orders 
of military chivalry, of which the most conspir 
cuous was the Annunciation, under the title of 
Collier, or Lac d Amour. The mark of tlie order 
is a blue riband, to which is suspended a medal, 
representing the mystery of the Annunciation, 
with a badge embroidered, which the chevaliey 
or knight wore upon the left side of his coat» 

The administration of the department now 
consists of the following establishments : a 
commandant for the military, a prefect and two 
sub-prefects for the civil jurisdiction. The judi- 
cial is composed of one criminal tribunal^ and 
tliree of common pleas. The criminal, and one 
of the tribunals for common pleas, are held at 
Nice ; the two sub-prefectures, and the other 
two tribunals, are at Puget de Theniers and 



GOVERNMENT, 35 

Monaco. The latter was constituted, during the 
time of the convention, the principal town of 
the district, though it is situated at one of its 
extremities, where it would be very difficult to 
consult the other magistrates in case of necessity. 
It is also deficient in the common necessaries of 
life. There are several communes in the same 
district, more considerable, more central, conse- 
quently more conveniently situated for the 
public offices. Such is the situation of Sospello, 
w^hich affords every thing in which Monaco is 
deficient, It would be worthy of the present 
prefect^s attention to endeavour to bring about 
this change, whicli is earnestly sohcited by twenty 
thousand inhabitants. 

It is well known that this department, which 
is much poorer than those contiguous to it, pay^ 
considerably more taxes in proportion. The cause 
of this appears to be the conduct of those charged 
with the administration of the departnient in the 
time of the convention. Either from ignorance 
or motives of private interest, they demanded from 
government a much larger sum than was neces* 

D 2 



do BOARD OF HEALTH. 

sary to defray the public expences of the depart* 
merit. Government established this as the 
standard for regulating the contributions of the 
country. This is what I have been assured at 
Nice. 

The police is very well regulated, and strangers 
reside in . perfect security. Though there were 
assassinations in Piedmont, and robberies from 
the banditti who retreat in the mountains, there 
was no risk in the town and suburbs of Nice. 
There are few thefts remain undiscovered, and 
there are occasionally ruffians executed who infest 
the department of the maritime alps. With 
respect to the peasants, I may venture to say 
that vice is but seldom seen among them, and as 
the best proof of it, I refer to the rare punishments 
of that description of people. Drunkenness and 
all its coincident misdemeanors and quarrels are 
almost unknown. 

The chief members of the senate, and most 
renowned physicians, formed^ council of health 
to watch over the public safety, to concert 
measures for the suppression of serious diseases. 



BOARD OF HEALTH. 37 ' 

and were possessed of considerable power in 
case of public exigency from sickness. They 
were also charged to appoint officers to guard the 
health of the pubhc in different districts. All 
persons concerned in the medical treatment of 
criminals, or in administering remedies, were 
compelled to apprize the magistrates, upon oath, 
of the nature of the invalid's sickness, his name, 
country, &c. upon pain of being fined in case of 
disobedience. 

At the present day there is a board of health 
formed by the principal physicians and surgeons 
of the town, who assemble once a week, or in 
every ten days, to enquire into the nature of the 
prevailing diseases, and regulate the affairs of the 
hospital, and report to the prefect all such matters 
as come under his cognizance. The board is 
composed of five or six members, amongst 
whom the most distinguished are, Messieurs 
Fodery and Schuderi. The former has ren- 
dered himself conspicuous by the skill he dis- 
played in the army of Italy, and since by his 
writings^ 



3s eOMMfeRGBl* 

COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURES. 

The commerce of Nice is at present very trifling. 
Its exports consist of the principal productions of 
the country, such as oil, oranges, lemons, essences^ 
&c* The imports are clothes, linen, hosiery^ 
cutlery, spices, sugar, coffee, &c. A consider* 
able quantity of salt is also brought here from 
Provence and Languedoc. The greatest part of 
it is sent to Piedmont, which returns rice and 
cattle. The quantity of cattle now imported is 
much smaller than before the revolution. On 
this account it is difficult to find good beef at 
Nice : that of the country is indifferent. The 
aromatic plants, however, with which the 
country abounds, render the mutton and game 
excellent. 

The low price of money, and the heavy duties 
laid on foreign goods, were the reasons why the 
commerce of Piedmont was rather confined, to 
which must be added the scruples of the Custom- 
house officers, to let foreign goods enter ever^ 
after the payment of the duties. The quantity 



COMMERCE, ?9 

of mulberry trees which are planted throughout 
Piedmont, and in a part af the country of Nice, 
shew that silk is no inconsiderable article of trade. 
It is a very principal commodity at Turin and 
Nice ; and a certain as well as abundant source 
(pf defraying taxes, and conducting an extensive 
commerce in exchange for other merchandize. 
The King of Sardinia, to encourage the growth 
of mulberry trees, laid a heavy imposition upon 
land, promising at the same time to diminish the 
burthen of this tax in proportion to the number 
of mulberry trees planted in each field, and to 
the quantity of silk produced. Until the late 
revolution in France^ the land-holders enjoyed 
the advantage of this grant of the king, and even 
held their territory free of imposition. So effec- 
tual was this edict, and so productive to the 
natives, that the manufacturer was no longer 
obliged to get silk from the Milanese or states of 
Venice, nor the king to complain of the want of 
trees to nourish silk- worms. The silk stockings of 
this country are said to be of better quality than 
those manufactured in Languedoc and Paris. 



40 MANUFACTORIES. 

There are several valuable manufactories of soap, 
paper, and leather, in this town. Liqueurs, waK 
and tallow candles, and perfumeries of all kinds, 
abound here. The perfumers of Grasse come 
to Nice every year to distil their orange flowers, 
A large manufactory of salt petre has been lately 
established. A new kind of paper made of fucus 
jivularis, which grows in abundance ne^r all the 
rivers, succeeds very well : it is generally em-« 
ployed to pack the oranges exported fronx the 
town. There is likewise a rope manufactory. 
Various fruits are exported to Marseilles, bu^ 
its principal and most valuable source of riches 
is the ohve. The fair of Beaucaire is also a great 
mart for its merchandize. The oHves in the 
territory of Nice produce an oil as rich and as 
well flavoured as those of Aix. 

During the revolution, and in the short interval 
of peace, a number of French merchants esta-- 
blished themselves on the coast of Italy, and 
carried on an extensive trade with Nice and 
Marseilles ; but the superiority of the British navy 
having enabled us to shut up all the ports of th© 



PROVISIONS. ' 4»l 

Mediterranean, they are not likely to carry oa 
their concerns with so much success in future. 



SECTION III. 

PROVISIONS.— HOUSE RENT. 

Every article of provision is much increased at 
Nice since the French revolution. Butcher's meat 
in the year 1790 and 1791 was bought for about 
three sols a pound, veal about four sols, twelve 
ounces to the pound. Fish three or four sols : 
thirty sols was the. price of a hare, fowl, or a 
brace of partridges. Fish is dearer at present 
than any other article of diet, and at times cannot 
be procured for any amount. Beef, mutton^ 
veal, fowls, and game, were very dear in 1 802, 
though they sold at an exceedingly low price the 
two preceding years. In the depth of winter 
cauliflowers, beans, asparagus, lettuces, radishes, 
and cabbages are to be met with ; but these 
vegetables were far more plentiful formerly^ 



4f IPRO VISIONS. 

when the number of strangers that occupied thd 
suburbs and country rendered it profitable for the 
gardener to cuhivate them. In shorty after the 
repeated calamities which have befallen Nice, it 
is surprising that the necessaries of life can be 
obtained in any sort of abundance. Generally 
speaking, the market is well supplied > and the 
traveller at no loss to find a good dinner* The 
poultry, it is true, is not of the finest flavor, but 
woodcocks are abundant and extremely dehcious, 
though rather dear. The vegetable scarcity of 
1802 was abundantly compensated by the dessert. 
Olives, oranges, figs^ lemons, grapes, pears, 
apples, pomegranates, chesnuts, almonds, medlars^ 
filberts, dates, &c. made a part of each repast. 
The wine is very good at Nice, the best, the vin 
de bellet, may be had at about fifteen sols a 
bottle. The stranger generally drinks adulterated 
wine, and pays dearer for an inferior quality. 
Butter is of a bad flavor ; that made from goat's 
milk exceeds by far the sheep's milk : it is dear. 
The water before it is potable ought to be boiled, 
or at least exposed to the air for some time after 
3 



KOUSE KENt. 4$ 

it IS drawn from the well. There are springs of 
Vvater, but they are too far distant from the town 
to profit by them. 

Under the article of provisions it may not be 
uninteresting to mention some fish, which, if not 
abundant at Nice, may be met with in most places! 
of Provence in the way thither : the sea of Pro- 
vence affords a great variety of the best and 
choicest. Marseilles and Antibes are the most 
plentiful markets. Amongst other fish we 
find soles, the roach, sea perches, the gold-fish, 
,anchovies, and sardines, the former of whiclv 
abound in the vicinity of Frejus. Several specie^ 
of the mullet. Authors mention many more ; 
the turbot, tli^ stock-fish, the sturgeon, taken in 
the Rhone: the tunny, the dolphin, the shark, 
the conger, &c. The Rhone furnishes in abund- 
ance pikes, shads, and barbels ; and in various 
parts excellent carp and tench. 

House rent is. very dear at Nice, particularly in 
the croix de Marbre. Apartments are commonly 
j'urnishecl and adorned after the fashion of the 
country, though they are far from being comfort- 



44 MOUSE RENT* 

able to those who know the pleasures and conve- 
niences of a good house in England It would 
not be adviseable to furnish a house, unless you 
proposed passing several winters there ; in which 
case, I should not only please myself, but would 
make an additional expeoce in qualifying the 
house for a winter's campaign. 

A tolerable house in the suburbs, large enough 
for twelve or fifteen persons, could not be hired 
for five or six months for less than one hundred 
and thirty pounds sterling : some of the best 
might amount to something more. It is true, 
that to these are added dehghtful gardens, abound- 
ing in orange, lemon, almond, and peach trees; 
but the oranges never belong to the person who 
hires the house. In the vicinity of these gardens 
peasants are industriously employed in cultivating 
barley, hemp, oats, maize, vines, &c. and in the 
months of December and January you see men 
and women eagerly collecting the olive harvest. 

This fruit is allowed to remain on the trees un- 
til it becomes of a deep purple or black colour, 
when it is in a state to have the oil pressed, aar 



MONT-ALBA N, 45 

well as for eating. The peasants consume a vast 
quantity of them, but they never eat them green, 
as we have them in England. 

SECTION IV. 

PESCRIPTIVE OBSERVATIONS ON MONT-ALBAN, 
AND ON THE NATURE OF THE TERRITORY OF 
NICE. 

Although the road from Nice to the summit 
of this mountain is very bad and fatiguing, the 
traveller cannot "regret having gone that way at 
least once. On the upper part of the mountain 
a fort of considerable importance is erected, and 
with a French garrison resisted all the hostile efr 
orts of the Austrian army during the last war. Its 
position is very commanding, and effectually de- 
fends the bridge over the Paglion, as well as the 
suburbs of the town. Advancing upon Mont- 
Alban, a vast extent of sea is seen on the right, 
and on the left a great part of the maritime alps, 
whose summits are covered with snow during 
^eyen or eight months of the year. After travers- 
ing a barren soil for an hour and a half, the road 



j:6 TERRITORY OF KIC:^. 

is more agreeable, and you see a small village 
built on a rock, which is perpendicular to the sea. 
There was formerly a post at the foot of this rock, 
which is mentioned in the Maritime Itinerary of 
^ntoninus, under the name of Avissa, 

JSTothing can be more beautifully picturesque 
than the position of Nice viewed from Mont-r 
Alban and all the adjacent bills. The traveller;' 
cannot withhold his admiration when the tout en^ 
semhle of the view unfolds itself to his eye. How 
delightful the port, the ramparts, the bridge, the 
Paglion, the sea, and the suburbs ! He observes 
from hence a country glowing with the richest cul* 
tivation^ the most fertile soil, and the choicest 
!|3eauties of nature. This scene, contrasted with 
the barrenness of some neighbouring hills, is be* 
held with greater ecstasy, and the difference is 
more strikingly perceptible. We must not, how- 
ever, comprehend in this description the other side 
of the mountains, as the beauties of the country are 
here indisputably concentrated. 

From hence I proceed to describe the country 
adjoining the suburbs, though I confess that mv 



TERRITORY OF NICE. 47 

pen is inadequate to the tasV, so numerous are tb^ 
beauties that swell the difficulty of description. 

At the first view of the country on the other- 
side of the Var, no one can contain the expression^ 
of admiration which the richness of the landskip 
excites ; but this view, en passant^ is by no means 
sufficient to impress a proper idea of the real mag- 
jiificence of the. scenery ip all directions. The 
country is delightful on every side from Antibes 
to Nice, particularly near the Var, and from thence 
to the suburbs of the town, 

1 could not help thinking I had taken my 
abode in Italy as soon as I crossed, the ancient 
boundary of that country, for, in spite of the bat- 
tlements which the French have erected on the 
banks of the river during the last war, and the new 
geographical division of this beautiful spot, I stil^. 
retained the memory of Lucao's Line, 

*/ Finis et Hespcri^ proiuoto limite Varus.*' 

There are many agreeable coup d'^ails from the 
banks of this river, which are not a little heigh ten- 
ted by the murmuring noise of the waves so dis- 



48 TERRITORY OF NICE. 

tinctly heard, owing to the silence of the vallies, 
through which several streams run to join their 
waters with those of the Var. In rainy weather, 
and during the melting of the snows, this river be* 
comes equally rapid and dangerous. 

^^ La, parmi des rocs entassds 
Couverts de mousse verdatre 
S'elancent des flots courrouc^s 
D'une ecume blanche et bleuatre : 
La chute et le mugissement 
De ces ondes precipitees, 
Des mers par I'orage irritees 
Imitent le fremissement/' 

On every side valleys and hills alternately charm 
the eye with the endless variations of their height, 
figure, position, and cultivation. Not a moun- 
tain can be ascended without producing the agree- 
able contrast of hill and vale, enriched with a pro- 
fusion of sweet scented herbs, and diversified 
with flowers in all the various garbs and glowing 
hues of nature. In one part a sterile rock lifts its 
lofty head amidst luxuriant vegetation, and at- 
taches us yet more fondly to the surrounding 
gaiety. In another, the industrious spirit of maia 



TERRITORY OP NICE. 49 

has covered the bas^ and summits of a lofty hill 
with the vine, the olive, or the fig tree. The val- 
leys are enchanting, and produce every where 
oranges, grapes, and almonds. How many situa- 
tions are there on hill and dale that the man on 
whom fortune frowns, or who loves to meditate 
in silence, might rejoice to find ! Here might the. 
statesman, the philosopher, and the student, in 
tranquil retirement from the tumultuous turmoil of 
civilized life, study nature's laws, whilst the inva- 
lid might hither bend his feeble step, and direct his 
anxious hope in pursuit of health and happiness. 

There are several pleasant villages in the plain 
of Nice, none of which however comprise more 
than a few houses; one, amid its rural beauties, 
contains an excellent house, which commands a 
view of the sea^ a good garden, reservoirs, and 
fountains. To this delightful residence a small 
chapel is annexed. It is situated in a valley, di- 
rectly under the abrupt division of one of the 
hills, surrounded by olives, almonds^, figs, and corn^ 

Not less eminent for its striking scenery is Cha- 
teau-neuf, the abode of the prefect of the Mari- 



50 TERRITORY OF NICE. 

time Alps. What exquisite gardens, and how 
elegantly adorned with fountains, cypress trees, 
and all kinds of fruits and flowers 1 I do not in 
truth recollect a walk, whichever road you may 
choose, where there are not some interesting ob- 
jects, now meeting, now retiring from the view, 
something romantic and picturesque, ever varying 
the interest of the scene. An endless variety 
leaves no satiety on the mind. There may be 
some spots, particularly at the foot of mountains 
where the soil is not so productive; buti remem^ 
ber none where fruit trees, corn, and vines, do not 
flourish in perfection. 

The pasturage is plentiful, and kept in good or- 
der, though the roads are almost impassable in 
particular spots, which in some degree diminishes 
the pleasure that we might otherwise enjoy. One 
pathway leads to many others, and one fine scene 
discovers a thousand still more engaging. The 
freshness of an extended foliage on the 
summit of the hills tempers the burning rays 
of a meridian sun, and affords in the midst of 
^summer a cool retreat. In winter a southern as- 



TERRITORY OF NICE. ^I 

p6ct receives those genial beams which are seldom 
felt in any other part of the world with equal de- 
light and satisfaction. The same mountains 
which protect you from the heat at one season, 
and save you from the unwholesome vapours of 
damp and cold at another, are covered with a 
copious growth of shrubs, fruit, and herbs^ 
which encourage exercise, and amuse the 
mind. 

The republican arms of France have depopula- 
ted this charming country, and either destroyed 
or ruined most of the families, country houses, 
and every work of art. The gardens, however, 
adorned with orange and fruit trees, formerly with 
every plant and flower, still invite the efforts of 
industry, and promise a plentiful harvest. Much 
I confess is wanted to repair those shattered villas, 
ivhere once lived a happy people ; and long 1 fear 
it will be before the new proprietors diffuse, like 
their ancient inhabitants, joy and gladness and 
plenty around them. The deficiency of money, 
the want of confidence, and the natural distrust a 
new government inspires, are obstacles not^asy to 

E 2 



6^ TERRITORY OF NICE. 

be surmounted. Under the protection of the 
King of Sardinia, the public were happy, trade 
flourished, and the merchants were even favored 
by other nations. 

Nice, although adorned by all the beauties of na- 
ture, and situated on one of the most fertile plains, 
securefrom the piercing cold of winter, and refresh- 
ed by the coohng breezes of the sea in the summer 
months, wants the comforts of a select few to ren- 
der it a happy retreat. Not now, alas ! not now, 
as in the days which La Lande celebrates, when 
the assemblage of strangers from every part of Eu- 
rope rendered it a scene of hospitality and social 
joy. The ravages of war have spread their deso- 
lation around, and chased from their habitations 
the native and the foreign friend. May the period 
soon return, when the inhabitant and stranger 
shall again partake of ancient gratifications, endear- 
ed by the recollection of dangers past ! May every 
hillock boast a house of modern taste and comfort, 
and possess a cheerful and happy society. 

Niiie could formerly boast of every thing that 
renders a home delicious, admirably situated for 
3 



TERRITORY OF NICE, 65 

the exportation and importation of colonial pro- 
duce ; no rival port to check its rising grandeur, 
an industrious and numerous population. No 
climate possesses a more genial atmosphere, no 
soil a more smiling vegetation. The blossoms of 
the orange, the vine, and the laurel rose, the infi- 
nite variety of flowers, plants, and shrubs, at all 
seasons of the year, excite us to repeat 

^^ Vertumne, Pomone, et Zephyre 
Avec Flore y regnent toujours 5 
C'est I'asyle de leurs amours, 
Et le trone de leut empire,'* 

O, Nissards,^ did you but appreciate the auspi- 
cious clime, which providence has given you, 
widi an enthusiasm equal to the stranger's, 
what display of taste w^ould embelhsh the beau- 
ties of your plain ! To the verdant and beautiful 
gifts of nature would be added the wonders of ait ; 
we should admire the rustic cascade, the lim- 
pid stream winding in an endless variety of forms, 
and the meadows enamelled with other fruits, and 
flowers not their own. 

* ''O Fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint, 
Agricolas I" 



^'^ TERRITORY OF NICE. 

The fragrant and brilliant offerings of Flora 
would not perish and fade unregarded, garlands of , 
lilies would adorn the meanest habitation,, and 
every spot bear the tokens of the highest cultiva- 
tion. But, in spite of your indifference, Nis- 
sards, this goddess reigns with beautiful variety on 
the summit of the Maritime Alps, and sports her 
gaudy blossoms for the industrious bee in a thou-» 
sand forms and shades, entwining many an odori- 
ferous offering, seldom enjoyed by mortal sense. 

The irregularity of seasons, so detrimental to 
vegetation in other parts of the world, is here ex-^ 
changed for a progress so uniform and impercep- 
tible, that the tenderest plant delights to feel the 
change, and acquires new vigour by it. Every day 
brings forth another flower, every month its fruits, 
and every year a copious harvest. The light tinges 
of the spring yield to the brighter hues of summer, 
and autumn boasts in darker state, of the deep crim- 
son and the orange. Unexposed to the bleak influ- 
ence of the north, the pendent grape soon comes 
to full maturity; the almond and the peach already 
tempt the taste ; the citron and the orange promise 
^n arpple recompense for the husbandman's toil, 



XEERITORY OF NICE. 55 

The luxuriance of the valleys must make that man's 
heart rejoice who regards and admires the rich pro- 
ductionsofthee^rth.The sterility of some mountains 
gives him an idea of the mourning of nature, which 
at the same time that it offers the most striking con- 
trast between rural magnificence and rural degrada- 
tion, impresses the mind with the strongest sense of 
the transient pleasures of the world, and of the in- 
sufficiency of present enjoyment. It equally awa- 
kens melancholy reflections on the future. Whose 
soulisnotstricken with solemn admiration at the ma- 
jestic mounds that encircle the spectator's eye, the 
barren wild of some of the contiguous mountains, 
the high cultivation he gazes on, the fertile valley, 
smiling plain, shady wood, and murmuring stream ? 
The mind of man recoils upon itself, and sinks 
into awful contemplation at the wise and wonder^ 
ful dispensations of providence.* A shapeless 

* Philosophe tranquille, ami de la Nature, 
J'y contemple avec soin sa superbe pamre. 
Un insecte, une fieur, un arbrUseau naissant, 
Me rappellent sans cesse un etre tout puissant, 
Dont la main lib§rale et prodigue en merveiHes 
J^Ierite nos transports, notre amour et nos veilles." 

^ertrand, Mont Jura* 



66 .> tERRlTORY OF NICE* 

chaos contains the most vahtable riches: on the de- 
clivity of a barren rock flourishes the luxuriant 
vine, on the summit of some tremendous hill the 
woodman fells the sturdy oak -and lofty pine. The 
valleys abound in delicious fruit, corn ripens on the 
plains, and an immense sea bounds the horizon, 
whose bosom, swelling and subsiding at the pro- 
pitious call of Auster, foams on the echoing shore, 
recedes, advances, and exhausts its force. The 
hollow murmur of the waves from rock to rock, 
their terrible "noise on being precipitated in mass 
on the confines of the coast, the distant foam, or 
a tranquil secession on a calm summer's day, and 
gentle reflux, equally enchant as they astonish our 
senses. A spectacle so grand is worthy of the 
poet and the painter. 

Nature also displays all her charms in the neigh- 
bourhood of Cimiez, although the scene is somewhat 
changed.Nearthetownisaspring,which the ancients 
called FonsTempli, and from the amenity of the situ- 
ation figuratively* the pleasant fountain of Tempe,* 

* Est nemtts Hemonise, praerupta quod undique claudit 
Sylva, vocant Tempe per quae Penaeus ab imo 
EfFusus Pindo spumosis volvitur uiidis." 



TERRITORY OF NICE. 57 

The fields around are watered with a variety of 
streams, which are in general salubrious, intersecting 
a number of gardens, vineyards, and meadows, 
and by their numerous ramifications promoting a 
constant verdure. Some pass - through woods, 
others at the base of hills, but all contributing to 
preserve an ever living vegetation, and to truly 
constitute a perpetual spring. 



Fontibus omnia purls 



Hie sunt irrigua et rivi de rupe cadentes 
Prata per, et campos labuntur murmure dulci.^* 

A cavern of considerable depth, of capacious 
mouth, overhung with trees and shrubs^ is situated- 
near this spot. It receives the falls of wa- 
ter that in very dry weather constantly trickle 
down the adjacent mountains, and at times swells 
with its watery treasures. A solemn silence 
reigns in its environs, which is never interrupted, 
but by the big drops which agglomerate and fall 
in its center, or on its sides. A parching heat pre- 
vails above, but the sun-beams seldom penetrate 
it, so that in the scorching months of summer the 
traveller may there breath a refiesbing air. 



58 TERRITORY OP NICE. 

Before I quit the topography of the country 
around Nice, my inchnation leads me to say a few 
words on the beauty of the plain of Fonchaud, 
and some contiguous spots. 

Nature here displays all her charms. The 
same kind of trees and shrubs are seen 
which cover the plains of the Paglion : the scene, 
however, is completely changed, but the air is 
equally mild, and the imagination never damped 
by the sight of sterile objects. Every thing the 
eye embraces is animated. Gardens, mea- 
dows, and fertile fields, overspread the plain, which 
is bounded by verdant hills that terminate the 
view in a manner equally agreeable and ro- 
mantic. 

Let us from nature proceed to art, and mark 
the inspiration which succeeds the survey of an- 
cient grandeur. Let the mind's eye extend itself 
to the antique walls of Cimiez, meditate on the 
ample edifices and superb temples that adorned 
that once famed city. Be the tombs which con- 
tain the ashes of heroic virtue, honored worth, 
and modest beauty, incentives to solemn admiia^ 



TERRITORY OF NICE. 59 

tlon and exemplary patriotism ! Let the remains 
of those lofty structures, that once ravished the 
human eye, that inspired the citizen with love for 
his country, which the foe envied, and the savage 
ruined, receive at least the tribute of compassion 
for their honors lost. The massy pillar, bright mo- 
nument of victory, and the convents famed for 
penitential confession, all undistinguished lie. 
How the mind recedes within itself, and vainly 
pictures the magnificence of a former prospect I 
What lavish gaiety an ever smiling territory dis- 
played I What surprise and pleasure must a noble 
city, beautifully built on the declivity of a hill, 
have given to the imagination 1 Let the reader 
conceive the bold addition of splendid strength 
which a distant navy must add to a flourishing 
town, an extensive bay, and delicious gardens. 
Certain ijt is, that no spot on earth was ever better 
calculated for building a city, none where nature 
has more liberally supplied the wants of man : in 
the hour of peace a delicious asylum, in the mo- 
ment of danger presenting an impregnable front. 
The soil around scarcely waiting the husband- 

1 



60 TERRITORY OF NICE. 

man's toil, and producing almost spontaneously 
whatever he pleases to demand. 

^^ Here summer reigns with one eternal smile; 
Succeeding harvests bless the happy soil. 
Fair fertile fields^ la whom indulgent heaven 
Has ev'ry charm of ev'ry season given. 
No killing cold deforms the beauteous year. 
The springing flow6rs no coming winter fear ; 
But as the parent Rose decays and dies. 
The infant buds with brighter colours rise, v 

And with fresh sweets the mother's scent supplies,-' 
Near them the violet grows, with odors blest. 
And blooms in more than Tyrian purple drest. 
The rich Jonquils their golden beams display. 
And shine in glory's emulating day : 
The peaceful groves their verdant leaves retain, -^ 
The streams still murmur, undefilM with rain, > f 
And tow'ring greens adorn the fruitful plain. 
The warbling kind uninterrupted sing, 
Warm'd witli enjoyments of perpetual spring." 

Ladi/ Mary Whortley Montagu. 

In this favoured clime every town, every terri* 
tory, becomes interesting as it affords subjects 
of melancholy and pleasing reflections. The ra- 
vages of time lead us to the contemplation of fu- 
turity, of the littleness of the works of the greatest 
men, of the folly of human grandeur. War strikes 



TERRITORY OF NICE. 61 

US with horror, on witnessing the devastation it 
creates ; art claims all our affection, from the gra- 
tification it affords the mind, and from its incen- 
tives to honorable and independent industry. He 
who explores the inestimable chefs d'^ceuvres of 
Corinth, Athens,^ or Megara, must naturally trace 
with solicitude the history of these countries and 
their renowned inhabitants. Great in action, in- 
defatigable in science, celebrated for wisdom and 
valour, how worthy are they of the historian^s 
panegyric, aiid the admiration of posterity ! 

If the cottage of the peasant, or the chateau of 
the country gentleman, is neither adorned with 
gold or silver, nor decorated with massy columns 
of marble at their entrance, in their place the fig 
and the almond form an agreeable shade; the pli- 
ant branches of the vine entwine themselves 
around the door, and form also a rich casement to 
the windows. The plain of .Nice may with truth 
be compared to the habitation of Calypso, 
which Telemachus so beautifully describes.— 
^* From the dechvity of a hill one beholds the 
*ea, sometimes idly irritated against the rocks on 



6^2 TERRITORY OP KlC:E. 

which it breaks, bellowing atid swelling its waveSf 
like mountains, sometimes clear and smooth as 
glass. At a distance are seen hills and mountains, 
which lose themselves in the clouds, and form by 
their fastastic figures as delightful an horizon as 
the eye could wish to behold- The neighbouring 
mountains are covered with verdant vine branches, 
hanging in festoons; the grapes, brighter than 
purple, cannot conceal themselves under the 
leaves, and the vine is overloaded with its fruit/' 
The fig, the olive, the pomegranate, and all other 
trees, overspread the plain, and make it a large 
garden* 

O, Zimmerman, who was ever here, and felt the 
delight of a tranquil evening, without calling you 
to recollection ? The mind revolves, the imagina- 
tion warms at thy sublime cogitations ; yet flighty 
fancy subsides into a well-arranged collection of 
thoughts, and under thy fascinating precepts is 
never moved but in perfect harmony with the 
heart. On this desirable connection then, charm^ 
ing author, rests the basis of happiness, the off- 
spring of good which thy lessons on morality have 



TERRITORY OF NICE. 63 

SO finely taught us to distinguish, and so invU 
tingly disposed us to pursue. Happy they whose 
felicity depends not on the caprice of fortune ; 
far happier still, who seek it by other paths than 
those of grandeur. Where virtue reigns, content 
is near, and let him who is in search of it follow 
thy instructions. 

How frequently, on this spot, have I seen, 
with secret pleasure and delight, the rural amuse- 
ments of the peasants, and how highly have I 
been captivated with the scenes of mirth and 
innocence. Each swain trips over the lawn with 
his chosen fair, listening with inward rapture to 
the echoing accents of the lyre, sweetly passing 
time in the bosom of happiness, and in the sim- 
plicity of a smiling country. Actuated by an 
honest passion, his heart opens to the artless con- 
versation of his modest partner; love occupies 
his bosom, and a pastoral song explains his 
amourous desires. What a lovely image of hap- 
piness, of social concord, and virtue, these con- 
tented swains afford us 1 We, poor, irresolute, 
and feeble imitators of the lesson given us by 



64 PRODUCTIONS. 

untaught man, fancy their joys fleeting ? and, 
instead of having courage to be virtuous, indulge 
in vice, assume a face of serenity, and thus dis- 
guise the corroding pains of a wounded con- 
science. 

SECTION V. 

PRODUCTIONS. 
There is a great variety of fossils in this coun- 
try; the mineralogist has, therefore, ample room 
for his scientific search. The indifference of the 
Nissards with regard to the produce of their coun- 
try, and their neglect of the public roads, are noto- 
rious ; but why they should not work the mines 
ofmarl, argill, platre, vitriol, orpiment, alabas^ 
ter, porphyry, other fine marbles, lead, iron, 
and copper, lam really at a loss to discover. 
Every one of these is to be found in various 
parts of the provij:ice. Nothing is wanted but 
.the hand of industry to call forth the treasures 
of the soil. Surely these would become a great 
article of commerce, and the means of enriching 
the capital. 



JpRCiDUCTIONS. 65 

The mineral waters of Rocabiliare have gained 
a merited reputationj both from their internal and 
external use. The analysis of these waters shews 
them to be of a sulphureous nature, but the springs 
do not emit them in the same state of heat ; one 
or two are moderately warm, but the other is 
cold; The village of Rocabiliare is difficult of 
access, th^ apartments shocking, and no other 
sort of accommodation, reasons sufficiently cogent 
for their being abandoned, since a mineral w ater 
not unfrequently works a surprising cure by the 
agreeable society that is formed^ by the delights 
of a pleasant journey, and fascinating abode. 
Still farther in the Maritime Alps are the cele- 
brated minerals of Vaudier and Vinai, which it 
is very probable are more commonly resorted to 
than those of Rocabiliare. This, one would sup- 
pose, is another produce of nature which might 
be converted to profit and pleasure, but this shares 
the fate of all the others w^hich surround it. 

The department of the Maritime Alps abounds 
rn various parts with excellent carp and tench ; 
a vast variety of birds, such as the red-legged par- 



66 PRODUCTIONS. 

tridge, the moor- cock, the woodcock, and the 
pheasant, which four may be looked upon as the 
foremost. The first of these birds is supposed to 
have been brought from Sicily into Provence by 
Robert, Count of Provence. There are a great 
many birds of prey and singing birds. Among 
the latter are the hedge-sparrow, goldfinch, and 
a small bird called Tarm, &c. Amongst the • 
aquatic tribe are the water quail, the phaeni- 
copter (a bird whose tongues Roman luxury 
sought as a delicious dish) the cormorant, the 
plover, ducks. Sec, 

Travellers mention the passage of different 
kinds of birds into Africa, and of their return 
into Europe. There is a great number which 
resemble the blackbird, whose feathers are of a 
dark ash colour. Many of them, exhausted witlv, 
hunger and fatigue, fall into the sea. They are 
often washed ashore by the waves, and collected 
by the children, but being very lean afford 
but a meager repast. It is not known whether 
they stop at Sardinia or Corsica in their 
passage. 



PRODUCTIOl^S. 67 

With respect to the insects distributed over the 
different plains and mountains of this country, 
there is a variety scarcely to be named. An able 
naturalist may give a tolerable description of them ; 
for me, I abandon the effort, after naming the 
most common, such^ for instance j as the grass- 
hopper, the bright- fly, and anotherj which destroys 
the olives, called la mouche-d-dards. An end- 
less tribe of butterflies, beetles, lizards, &c. In- 
numerable insects of curious diversity are to be 
met with in a walk on the mountains which sur- 
round Nice. 

The wild boar, bears, and other beasts of prey, 
are seldom seen at the present day in any parts 
of this department. The stag and roebuck are 
occasionally to be met with. Hares, foxes, and 
chamois, are abundant. 

There is a lead mine, containing a little silver^ 
near Tenda, and is almost constantly surrounded 
with snow. The Romans must have set a high 
value on that metal, to search for it in so wild 
a country; perhaps it might be on account of the 
silver, which was then found in greater quantities. 

^2 



68 PRODUCTIONS. 

The excavations they made in the rocK, which is 
very hard, are yet to be seen. The mine was 
again wrought about sixty years ago, by order of 
the King of Sardinia: a native of Piedmont has 
latterly had the privilege of working it on his own 
account. He employed upwards of a hundred 
people last year, but, if we may believe his re- 
port, the mine produces very little, 

OLIVE TREE. 

All the trees common to the climate are found 
in the vicinity of Nice, particularly the olive, 
*ivhich surpasses them all in beauty. There are 
many of them near the Var, whose trunk is six 
feet in circumference, and branches proportionally 
large. The leaves are about an inch long, and 
a quarter of an inch broad, their upper surface 
is of a greenish brown, and the under is white. 
From this circumstance, when the tree is agitated 
bv the wind, the leaves seem variegated. Its 
fruit ripens in autumn, and is gathered towards 
the end of November. The tree which resembles. 



PRODUCTIONS. 6d 

most the olive is the willow. Its growth is 
slow, and proportioned to its duration, which is 
frequently three hundred years ; but when the 
branches of an healthy trunk have been lopped 
off, in less than twenty years they recover their 
former size : there are many species of this 
tree. The Athenians had a kind of veneration for 
the olive ; they considered the person who had 
the audacity to injure it as laden with crimes, 
being persuaded that this tree was the off- 
spring of the olive tree in the citadel of Athens, 
which was esteemed a gift of Minerva. It was 
only employed by them to reward the conquer- 
ors at the Athenian games. The olive tree also 
flourishes in its greatest beauty at Menton. 

LEMON TREE. 

The lemon tree of this place is very cu- 
rious ; while some of its branches are in full 
blossom, the rest are covered with lemons of all 
sizes, from the moment of their formation to 
maturity. The description of the tree in the 



70 PRODUCTIONS. 

second book of the Georgicks, is thus translated 
by the Abbe de Lille; 

^^ Vois les arbres dii Mede, et son orange amere. 
Qui lorsque la maratre aiix fils d'une autre mere 
Verse le ncir poison d'un breuvage enchante 
Dans leur corps expirant^ rappelle la sante. 
L'arbre egale en beaute celui que Phoebus aime j 
S'il en avoit I'odeur, c'est le laurier lui-meme, 
Sa feuille^ sans tfiPort, ne se peut arracher 
Sa fleur resiste au doigt^ qui la veut detacher 
Et son sue du vieillard qui respire avec peine, 
Raffermit les poumons, et parfume I'haleine/'* 

This passage suggests two interesting remarks, 
the first that the ancients t considered the fruit 

* *' Media fert tristes succos tardumque saporem 
Feiicis mali : quo non proesentius ullum 
(Pocula siquando soevae infecere novercae, 
!jVIiscueruntque herbas, et non innoxia verba) 
Auxilium venit, ac membris agit atra venena. 
Ipsa ingens arbos, faciemque simillima lauro : 
Et, si non alium lat^ jactaret odorem, 
Laurus erat j Folia baud ullis labentia ventis ; 
Flos aprrima tenax. Animas et olentiaMedi 
Ora fovent illo^ et senibus medicantur anhelis." 

Virg. George, Lib, 11,/. 126, 

t Athenaeus tells a very foolish and improbable story of a 
malefactor condemned to die by the bite of serpents, saving 
himself by this kind of antidote. 



PRODUCTIONS. 71 

endowed with the properties of a counter poison, 
the other that it has been Improved by culture, 
if it be true that it was better in the time of 
Virgil. This tree must have been very scarce 
during the reign of the first Roman emperors, as 
its fruit was not eaten in the time of Pliny. It 
was then used for perfuming and preserving 
clothes from moths : hence the vestis citrosa of 
some authors. Cicero had a table made of its 
wood which cost two thousand crowns, and 
Asinius PoUio one which cost ten thousand. 

This tree is divided into several species, the 
three principal of which are easily distinguished 
by their appearance and the taste of their fruit, 
viz. the citron, the lemon, and the cedrat. The 
fruit of the latter, whose odour is so exquisite and 
so highly valued, weighs from five to six pounds. 
It is to be lamented that the tree is subject to the 
disease called marfei. When it is attacked by it 
the peel of the fruit acquires a dark-brown colour, 
and is sometimes covered with a web resemblins: 
the spider's. The inhabitants have neglected no- 
thing to remedy this evil, but hitherto without 



73 PRODUCTIONS. 

success. The fruit contaminated with this di^^ 
ease, sells for two-thirds less in price. 

ORANGi: TREE. 

There are sever^il species of the orange tree? 
Botanists reckon upwards of twenty, but many of 
them differ so little as scarcely to be distinguish- 
ed. Three of them, however, cannot be con- 
founded, the sweet, the bitter, and the herma- 
phrodite, so named from its partaking equally of 
the lemon and orange. This tree has been known 
in Greece apd Asia time immemorial, but, as well 
as the lemon, is believed to be a native of Africa, 
Fable seems to confirm this opinion. Hercules is 
said to have stolen the golden apples from the 
gardens of the Hesperides, after having killed the 
dragon that guarded them. The learned do not 
coincide in their opinjon concerning the situation 
of that celebrated garden. Some suppose it to 
have been in Lybia, others in Mauritania, and 
many imagine, from a passage in Hesiod, that it 
must have been in one of the Canary Isles, but 
they all agree that it was in some part of Africa. 



PRODUCTIONS. 73 

The golden apples have been a perpetual 
theme for the poets. They ascribed to them won- 
derful virtues, While they delighted the eyes 
they influenced the heart so ipuch that it was 
impossible to resist them, When Juno espoused 
Jupiter, she presented him with some of these ap^ 
pies as her dowry. It was by throv/ing one of 
them on the table at the nuptials of Thetis and 
Peleus that discord produced the quarrel betwixt 
three of the goddesses, and troubled the peace of 
Olympus. It was by means of these apples that 
Hippomenes succeeded in softening the heart of 
the proud Atalanta. The " Hesperidum miratam 
mala puellam'' of Virgil is well known. Oa 
seeing them, Theocritus assures us, she was in- 
spired with the ardour of ungovernable passion. 
3o much for Fable. But there must have been 
oranges in Phrygia before the Trojan war ; for 
Homer would never have put them in the hands 
of Paris had they not been known in the time of 
that prince. It is probable the Phoceans were the 
first who brought the orange and lemon tree into 
Provence, as they did the olive, the laurel, the fig, 



74 PRODUCTIONS. 

and some other exotics. They must have been 
known in the territory of Nice before the founda- 
tion of the town, particularly the orange .tree, as 
that soil is well adapted to its culture. The soil 
of Menton is more favourable for the lemon tree, 
and on that account they have many more of 
them. They are more profitable than the orange 
trees» 

LAUREL ROSE. 

Next to the orange and lemon the laurel rose 
is> the tree the most agreeable to the sight. Some 
of them have red flowers, others white ; they are 
in blossom from May to September, and have 
always the same bloom and beauty. Some of 
tJaem are twenty-five feet high, and their branches 
are proportionally large. 

Nothing can be more curious than the banks of 
the Nervia, which empties itself into the sea be- 
tween Vintimiglia and Bordiguiere ; it is a great 
plain covered with laurel roses. Perhaps it has 
given name to the litde town Campo rosso, or red 
field, which is situated at one of its extremities. 
2 



PRODUCTIONS. 7S 

A number of small barks are annually loaded with 
these roses, and sent to Italy ; but this does not 
seem to diminish their number here, where theif 
growth is spontaneous. 

PALM TREE. 

Among the remarkable trees this deserves 
not to be forgotten. The poets have consecrated 
it to their heroes, and religion to her martyrs: 
hence it is become the emblem of victory. There 
is a great number of them at Bordiguiere, three 
leagues from Menton, where the soil is light, 
sandy, and nitrous. *' On my arrival there," says 
the author of a tour through the Maritime Alps, 
" I thought I was in the vicinity of Jericho. This 
tree requires no culture, and, having few roots, 
occupies but a small space. The branches are 
cut in Lent and sent to Rome, where a great 
quantity of them are sold on Palm Sunday and in 
the holy week. The great utility of this tree to the 
ancient hermits of ^Egypt is well known. Its 
leaves afforded them clothing, and its fruit was 
their principal food. They also made mats of the 



76 PRODUCTIONS. 

leaver, the sale of which enabled them to procure 
a scanty &ubsistance. The fruit does not ripen oa 
this coast, probably from the climate not being 
warm enough. Another cause, however, is as- 
signed by botanists, who say it is in consequence 
of there being no male trees in the neighbour- 
hood. They assert, that a female palm tree, when 
there is no male palm tree in the vicinity, pro- 
ducer no fruit, or at all events that the fruit can- 
not arrive at maturity, as it is necessary that the 
pDwer of the stamen of the male flower be ap- 
plied to the female flower in order to produce fe* 
ctrndation. In the Lives of the Fathers of the 
Deserts it is observed, that good St. Anthony wore, 
on Easter and Whitsunday holidays, a garment of 
palm tree leaves, which he inherited from St. Paul, 
who was the first hermit/' 

Besides the fruit trees already mentioned, 
b-rought from Africa and the Levant, the Nissards 
have the pomegranate, the pistachio, and the 
jujube^ These are natives of the same countries, 
and thrive very well at Nice. They have also the 
c^per-shrub, which creeps along the walls. As 



PRODUCTIONS. 77 

heat is congenial to this shrub, it is generally 
planted at the foot of a wall with a southern 
aspect. The fruit still retains the Greek name in 
the language of the country, viz. tapenos, which 
signifies creeping. What is most rejmarkable in 
this shrub, is the manner in which the fruit is 
formed. It is not preceded by the flower, as in 
other plants, but is formed from the bud itself, 

THE VINE. 

The vine has been known, time immemorialj, 
in Provence. Justin tells us that the Phoceans 
found vines there, and taught the inhabitants how 
to dress them. The wine of Monaco is of an indif- 
ferent quality, but the grapes are very large; some 
of the bunches weigh seven or eight pounds ; and I 
have been told that they sometimes weigh twelve. 
There are cantons of the department, which pro- 
duce very good wine, particularly ilfz^^c^/,- and 
some parts of the territory of Nice produce a red 
wine equal to that of Menton : as it becomes old 
it is difficult to distinguish it from foreign wine. 



7B CLIMATE OF NICE, 

SECTION VI. 

ON THE CLIMATE OF NICE. ^ 

Every impartial observer acknowledges that 
the air of France is temperate, healthy, and agree- 
able. If the northern departments are cold, and 
little superior to the climate of England, the 
southern provinces are of a very benign and equal 
temperature: perhaps few are more so than Pro- 
vence. In that agreeable country, flowers of dif- 
ferent kinds appear in one part, and fruit in 
another, even in the severest months of winter. 
Mulberry and olive plantations, which never 
thrive but in a mild climate, adorn the upper part 
of it as far as the banks of the Yar, and the ferti- 
lity of the soil is well evidenced by the quantity 
and quality of the wine and corn. The upper 
part of Provence is the most luxuriant and rich ; 
the inferior being exposed to a burning sun, 
and uncultivated, forms a miserable contrast, and 
is as frightful to the eye as the other is agreeable. 
The parching heats of summer are, however, mo- 
derated even in this part of the department by the 



CLIMATE Gt NICE. 79 

cooling breezes of the Mediterranean. Here, 
from the small quantity of wood and bar- 
renness of the rocks, the air is very dry and 
elastic, iitde favourable to the patient's recovery 
from many complaints. The properties of the air 
vary, notwithstanding this, in different spots of 
the same district. If it is piercing and dry from 
the action of the sun and influence of cold 
winds in one part, in another the highly culti- 
vated state of the soil, and excellency of posi- 
tion, give it a great pre-eminence over other 
departments. The temperature of Provence is 
attributable to the resistance made by the moun- 
tains to the passage of winds which come from 
that part of the horizon situated between the 
north and north east ; but, although such a de- 
fence is excellent against the winds and perpe- 
tual colds that reign upon the alps, the shelter 
thus formed is by no means so complete as 
one which similar mountains make around Nice. 
We must not, however, suppose that the plains 
of the latter town are not occasionally visited by 
the local winds of Provence. When the Mistral^ 



80 dLlMAlE of NICE. 

which is a very piercing wind, prevails, it some- 
times passes over the mountains, and makes its 
effects sensibly felt in this country. 

The mountains of Provence being very high, 
the circumjacent plains preserve nearly the same 
degree of temperature as when the summits of 
those lofty barriers were covered with forests. 
It is said that the temperature has suffered little 
variation for the last century, and I am inclined 
to believe that assertion, as snow does not 
remain longer upon the ground, nor the 
thermometer often descend below the point 
of congelation, and still more seldom in those 
spots under cover of the mountains. The 
thermometer in 1791 was seven degrees below 
the freezing point ; but that was a very unusual 
circumstance, and proceeded from the winds 
blowing from the sea, and the side of the county 
most exposed. The remark I have made with 
regard to the temperature of Provence, being 
almost the same as at a remote period, is 
applicable to the district at large ; for it is clear 
that the temperature of certain plains, covered 



CLIMATE OF NICE. Si 

with extensive forests, was somewhat milder 
than at the present day, as there is now 
scarcely any wood to intercept currents of cold 
air. Besides, the well known fact that trees 
essentially resist the passage of winds, the 
constant evaporations from the earth beneath 
them render the air around so mild, that a cold 
atmosphere, brought by northerly winds, would 
be first impeded in its progress, and modified 
afterwards by its union with the air which 
is found in woods ; therefore the air 
would be less cold in winter, though the 
temperature would be lowered in summer, from 
the interruption of the solar rays to the surface 
of the earth. Trees being also great conductors 
of caloric, may subtract heat from the earth, 
and distribute it in the surrounding air; an 
exposed surface, on the contrary, retains, for 
a length of time, the heat w^hich the sun 
communicates to it. 

Since the demohtion of forests in various 
parts of the department of the Var, and 
particularly near the department of the Maritime 

G 



S2 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

Alps, springs of water are also less abundant 
than in former years. It -is obvious that trees 
retain water upon them a long time, and that 
their roots, ramifying in many directions, form 
small openings in the earth, through w^hich the rain 
is admitted, and then conducted from fibre 
to fibre, until jt is thoroughly imbibed. These 
apertures are reservoirs for the water, and, 
in realityv admit no inconsiderable quantity. If 
there were nothing to impede its progress on the 
declivities of hills, it would fall in torrents to the 
bottom, and there rush into the great streams. 

We judge of the salubrity of a country from 
the nature of the vapours and exhalations which 
form the bulk of the atmosphere designed for our 
constant respiration, and for the preservation and 
growth of every being of the animal and vegetable 
kingdoms. These particles, put into motion by 
some subtle agent, prove injurious or salutary 
to the constitution; as they happen to be more 
or less diffused and acted upon by the meteors. 
Nothing is perhaps so susceptible of modification 
as the air: at one time it is thick, and charged 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 83 

With many exhalations, at another rarified, and 
containing very few; which properties, and many 
others, it acquires from the quahty of the 
situation, the action of subterraneous fires, the 
proximity and distance of the sun, &c. It is not 
difficult to conceive that a soil, containing 
particles of a sahne, or sulphureous nature, will, 
from th*e influence of various agents, promiscu- 
ously distribute^ in evaporation, each of these^ 
substances in the surrounding air. Thus then a 
situation near the banks of the sea will be impreg- 
nated with the saline matter which constantly, 
and. in great abundance, detaches itself from that 
immense body. Such is the case with the territory 
of Nice. A southerly wind directs the evapora- 
tions of the Mediterranean over the town and 
plain of Nice, which the circumjacent m.ountains, 
from their peculiar form^ keep within a 
certain space. 

In the summer months a cool breeze refreshes 
the air, and moderates the heat which alwavs 
prevails in the interstices of the mountains, owing 
to the reflection of the solar rays from the surfaces 

G 2 



^4 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

of uncultivated portions of rock. But the greater 
part of the plain of Nice, and the southern side 
of the surrounding nnountains, being highly cul- 
tivated, and having a soft soil, the sun-beams 
penetrate into the earth with little or no difficulty, 
so that heat accumulates in it, in the summer, 
to that degree, that the subsequent evaporations, 
even for many months, partake sufficiently of 
caloric to moderate a cold air brought from the 
summits of the alps : the frost from that cir- 
cumstance seldom becoming permanent in the 
country. 

Evaporation undoubtedly refrigerates the 
earth to a considerable degree, but the pro- 
portion between evaporation and the ab- 
sorption of solar rays, decreasing as the sum- 
mer solstice approaches, heat accumulates 
upon heat, until a great quantity is collected, 
sufficient in this part of the globe to render the 
evaporations of the earth very mild the ensuing 
winter. 

The air of Nice, in some places, abounds in 
aqueous exhalations, of which there needs no 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 8J 

Other proof than the quantity of insects engen- 
dered there. Without water they could not 
exist, but the soil, excepting near the banks of 
the Yar, is not moist enough to furnish a large 
supply of those vapours, consequently there are 
not so many of them in other parts of the depart- 
ment. If you quit the territory of Nice, and 
travel westward in Provence, the air is charged 
with insects to a surprising degree, as on the 
plains of Frej us, Hyeres, La Napoule, &c. The 
miasmata arising from the marshes in the summer 
and autumnal months, must render an abode 
in those places very prejudicial, particularly to 
strangers, who. unaccustomed to the climate, are 
more susceptible of the influence of such eva- 
porations, 

Nice has always a smiling aspect, notwith- 
standing the cold which ever reigns upon the 
Alps : the human frame, and the produc- 
tions of the earth, equally feel and evince it. 
The fibre, neither in a state of too great relax- 
ation nor rigidity, admits of a healthy perspiration* 
and the constitution but seldom falls into extreme 



86 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

i 

extenuation, or attains extreme plethora. The 
animal economy, hke the vegetable, flourishes, 
and feels a joyous existence, when winter jocks 
up the treasures of the earth, and spreads its 
gloomy mantle over other parts of the globe. 

Soft, however, as the temperature of the air 
around Nice is, the northern part of the depart- 
ment is very cold. At only a few miles distance 
from this agreeable plain we witness a different 
scene ; we feel and respu'e another atmosphere ; 
we leave, in short, a perpetual spring to visit a 
wintry region. The second and third rows of 
mountains that surround the plain are equally 
uncultivated and barren on one side as the other, 
and constantly chilled with currents of air from 
the Alps or the northern hemisphere. They are 
never tempered by the solar rays, nor the benign 
exhalations of high cultivation. The farther you 
proceed in making the circuit of these mountains 
the climate is less propitious to vegetation; nature 
is more rude in all her appearances, and fewer are 
the marks of human industry. It is from the com- 
bined advantages of cultivation, position, antt 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 87 

climate, that we see vegetation ever flourish in 
the country about Nice, that the vegetable 
kingdom makes such rapid strides to maturity, 
that one crop succeeds quickly to another, and 
that fruit comes to perfection at an early season. 
" Est enim Nicaeensis ager, lic^t eXiguus, fer- 
tilitate omnium fertilissimus, aquarum inundantia 
irriguus, ac omnium arborum genere consitus, 
soli fertihtate, pabuli ubertate, situ salubritate ac 
temperie, benignoque ventorum afflatu, undique 
per pollens." — Revell : 

'^ dementia Cceli 
Mitis ubij et riguae larga indulgentia terras : 
Ver longum^ brumseque breves_, juga frondea subsunt.'* 

In the coldest days of the vs^inter of 1802 I 
have oftener than once observed that even the 
oblique action of the solar rays, with the heat 
extricated from the earth, were sufficient to 
maintain a temperature some degrees above the 
freezing point, when the thermometer was below 
Zero in other parts of the department. It is true 
that the heat was not always sufficient to disperse 
the vapours which hovered about the atmosphere, 



S8 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

and made it thick and hazy, although the contest 
was frequently so great between them, that' the 
same day was at one moment clear, and at another 
hazy, as maybe seen in my meteorological tables. 
Whenever a gentle wind arose the vapours dis- 
appeared, the Sim was brillic^nt, and the day de- 
lightful. If, however, the wind blew from the 
Mediterranean, and was not very impetuous, the 
vapours collected into clouds, and hovered about 
the summits of the mountains, where, meeting 
a local wind, they recoiled, seldom or never 
completing a passage over them : if they became 
large and heavy, they dispersed in rain. 

With regard to the snow which falls at Nice, 
it is always small in quantity, and seldom or never 
remains more than twelve or twenty -four hours 
upon the earth, melting in part in its approach 
to our globe, and soon disappearing altogether 
when once in contact with its surface. It is 
jdot here, as in other parts of the world, renowned 
for temperature, for the latter snows remain no 
longer upon the ground than those that fall at 
the beginning of winter, a very unusual circun^- 



CLIMATE OF NICE. S9 

stance elsewhere, and a certain proof of the 
quantity of caloric existing in the earth. In some 
parts of Provence, where the air, from the expo- 
sure of the country, is cold, the snow remains 
upon the ground several days ; but in other places 
it melts almost as soon as in the plain of Nice. 
The only circumstance that could make snow 
remain longer than usual on the plain of Nice, 
w^ould be a visit from the Mistral : * this, 
passing the mountains to the north-west of 
the town, freezes rain in a state of vapour, 
and so much chills the regions of the air, that 
hail falls in a considerable quantity. In that case, 
of course, the snow would not melt so soon. 

The department of the Maritime Alps is subject 
to currents of air, the influence of which is felt 
to a great extent. The winds that blow from 
the northern part of the horizon over Pro- 
vence and this department, reaching the curtain 
of the Alps, meet with so considerable an obstacle 
to. their passage, that they recoil and become 

* A cold wind, of which I shall speak presently. 



90 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

reflected on themselves, whence arise various 
winds which have obtained the name of locaL 
Similar mterruptions occurring to winds on the 
mountains adjoining the sea, local winds are 
generated also there, and sometimes prove very 
dangerous to navigation. 

When the Mistral passes over the curtain I 
have already mentioned, it insinuates itself into 
different canals between one Maritime Alp and 
another, and collecting new force in those places, 
rushes out at their extremities with such violence 
as to precipitate men and cattle into chasms on 
the side of the road: this calamitous circumstance 
occurs at least once a year to the unfortunate 
travellers who are exposed to its influence. Ac- 
cidents are continually happening in the vicinrty 
of Sospello, and the Col ^i Tenda, where there 
is real danger, owing to the precipices which 
adjoin the road. Westerly winds are also dan- 
gerous, and not unfrequently produce conse- 
quences of an equally serious nature. 

Vapours collecting together as soon as they are 
formed between the mountains, generate very 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 91 

violent winds, which are more properly local 
than those I have just described. If the concen- 
tration of the particles of vapour be quick, the 
wind, I apprehend, will be impetuous ; if, on the 
contrary, it be slow, the wind thereby produced 
will be moderate. The topical winds of the alps, 
the mountains of Hungary, and Dauphiny, pro- 
bably have their origin from the immediate con- 
centration of the immense evaporations which 
abound in those places. Snow gives rise to that 
profusion of vapour, the particles of which uniting 
near the spot of their formation, become on a 
sudden agitated, and thus occasion a wind more 
or less impetuous. 

The most remarkable w^inds of Dauphiny are 
the PonUas, the Vezine, and the Solere, The lat- 
ter is peculiar to the river Drome, and almost 
always reigns there. 

The Mistral is the wind that generally pre- 
dominates in Provence, and also blows in a de- 
termined space. It is severely felt in the western 
part of the Maritime Alps, the passage of which 
being lojig and narroWj conducts it, as through a 



92 . CLIMATE OF NICE. 

caftalj to the circumjacent countries. The au-^ 
cients knew that this wind prevailed in Provence, 
were perfectly well acquainted with it, and 
gave it the name of Circius. Lucan, in his 
Pharsaha, alluding to the old port of Hercules^ 
says, 

"'Quaque sub Herculeo, sacratus Niimine Portus 
Urget rupe cava pelagus : non Corus in ilium 
Ju& habet, aut Zephyrus : solus sua littora turbat 
Circius^ et tuta prohibet statione Monseci.'* 

The Circius is v/hat is now called the Maestro 
of the Mediterranean. It reigns, says Seneca, 
in Narbonnoise Gaul, and produces consider- 
able mischief, though the inhabitants of Pro- 
vence attribute the salubrity of the air to its 
dominion. When Augustus came into Gaul he 
caused a monument to be erected in commemo- 
ration of it, as if it were the preserver of the hu- 
man species, and the promoter of vegetation. 
The Provencaux, however, of the present age 
differ in opinion with the ancients as to its bene- 
ficial effects. They look upon it rather as one 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 93 

of the greatest evils of the country. Hence the 
vulgar saying, 

^^ La Cour de Parlement, le Mistral^ et la Durance 
sont les trois fleaux de la Provence." 

Another wind, known also by the name of 
Maestro, reigns in the kingdom of Naples, 
but blows from a different point of the horizon. 
It is termed Yapix, or the Maestro ponente^ or 
levante Sirocco^ 

We may form an idea of the chilly nature of 
the Mistral of Provence, by its effects upon va- 
pour. When the exhalations from the earth are 
abundant, and concentrate into dew or clouds^ 
the influence of the MistraL even for a few hours 
only, is sufficient to convert them into clouds of 
hail, the grains of which are so enormous, as to 
desolate the country, and totally destroy vegeta- 
tion. If the upper regions of the air are less 
refrigerated than usual, these clouds disperse In 
rain, and torrents of water fall, mixed with hail- 
stones. The whole atmosphere is then in a state 
of the greatest commotion, and you think you 
see a cloud of dust, intermixed with small stones. 



9f CLIMATE OF NICE. 

and a kind of foam, such as is perceptible on the se^* 
The mischief these storms commit is so much 
the greater, as they fall upon the base of moun* 
tains, and those parts of the earth which are most 
cultivated, and \yhere vegetation is the most lux- 
uriant. The ravages made by them, the Var, and 
the Paglion, are incalculable : trees are torn up 
by the roots, houses washed away, and the whole 
face of the country desolated. Besides producing 
storms and freezing vapours, when the Mistral \s 
very impetuous, it destroys the fruit, which, if not 
already of considerable magnitude, perishes, and 
falls off the trees. 

The Mistral is a north-easterly wind, and the 
ill effects of wind from that point of the horizon 
are felt in many other countries as well as in 
Provence. To the mischief it produces to vege- 
tation we may add a number of diseases very de^ 
structive to the human economy. When the Mis- 
tral blows, you undergo all the sensations and 
changes which supervene on passing suddenly 
from a mild to a cold temperature. It is difficult 
to ascertain the cause of the dominion of this 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 93 

wind, though it is remarked that its violence is in 
proportion to the quantity of rain that falls in the 
Cevennes and the Vivarais. 

During my residence at Nice I recollect to 
have felt, oftener than once, the influence of the 
Mistical ; and, in the tables which I have sub- 
mitted to the public, it appears that this wind oc- 
casionally blew for several hours with great impe- 
tuosity; though, generally speaking, its effects are 
but slightly felt in this spot. 

The Sirocco^ a predominant wind in Sicily and 
Italy, sometimes extends its influence to the Ma- 
ritime Alps and the coast of Provence. It relaxes 
the fibre in an astonishing manner — depresses the 
spirits, excites ill-humour, and induces such 
a torpor over the mind and body, as to unqualify 
for work or study. I am by no means sure of 
the following circumstance. . It is said that 
even birds feel so forcibly the impression of it, that 
they cease to warble. At the same time a gloomy 
silence prevails throughout the country, animals 
become torpid, and rheumatic people, or such as 
have been wounded; experience a renewal of their 



96 CLIMATE OF NiCiE. 

pains. This latter circumstance is common iri a 
change of weather in other parts of Europe. 

As Nice is open to the south, winds that come 
from that quarter are sensibly felt there* Its vici^ 
nity to the sea, and exposure to southerly winds, 
are the reasons that in the summer inonths the 
air which surrounds it is fresh and moist ; for, as 
evaporation from the sea is constantly going on, 
the air which passes over an immense tract of 
water, like the Mediterranean, must be necessarily \ 
loaded to such a degree with aqueous particles, 
that the atmosphere, even for some extent from the 
coast will be impregnated with them. The con- 
stant movement of the sea, and the irregularity of 
its surface, are also obstacles to the entrance of the 
sun-beams into it, from which circumstance the 
sea is not heated in summer in proportion to the 
earth, another reason why climate is milder near 
the sea than elsewhere. Besides, the sea always 
remaining fluid, and never resisting the extrication 
of heat contained within it, will, by the same rule, 
render the atmosphere in winter mild in compari- 
son with that which passes over a surface covered 



CLlMAtE OF NICE* 97^ 

with ice and snow. Every one, likewise, knows 
that the air^ contiguous to bodies, partakes of 
their heat or cold. Winds from the sea, therefore, 
will always be warmer in winter than those from 
the land, though more or less moist in proportion 
to the quantity of vapour. Southerly winds, 
being likewise heated by a vertical sun in Africa, 
are generally mild, and often productive of rain, 
owing to the immense evaporations with which 
the Mediterranean charges them before their 
arrival upon the coasts of Europe. Besides the 
rain which they bring and distribute in abundance 
upon the coasts, they produce those refreshing 
dews that invigorate plants, and occasion a smiling 
vegetation. The particles of rarified vapour, of 
which these winds are composed, remain suspend- 
ed in the air until they reach the shores and terri- 
tory of Europe, where, coming in contact with a 
cold atmosphere, they become condensed, hover 
about adjoining mountains, and disperse in rain ia 
the direction of the wind. 

Persons who have never travelled in Italy, or 
the sosjthern provinces of France, can scarcely 

H 



9B CLIMATE OF NICE. 

have an idea of the mildnes of the air of Nice 
after a gentle fall of rain. The sulphureous and 
other terrestrial exhalations that are occasionally 
suspended in it being precipitated to the earth by a 
few showers, the atmosphere is left in a very pure 
and genial state. At these moments, the softness 
of the chmate, the serenity of the sky, thebriUiaii- 
cy of the sun, and the numerous beauti^es of na- 
ture that on every side surround you, may be bet- 
ter conceived than described. The breathing is 
free, the body light, and the same harmony seems 
equally to prevail in the human frame as in the 
circumjacent scenery. The valetudinarian has a 
respite from his sufferings, and the voluptuous 
man finds new pleasures occupy his mind. 
^^ Parturit almus ager, Zephyrique tepentibus auris 
Laxant arva sinus ; superat tener omnibus humor : 
Inque novos soles audent se gramina tuto 
Credere; nee roetuit surgentes pampinus Austros, 
' Aut actum Cielo magnis Aquilonibus imbrem : 
Sed trudit gemmas^et frondes explicat omiies." 

Firg. Georg. lib. 1 1. 

It is no unusual oiYcumstance in this part of the 

world to have a clear sky for five or six months 

after March or April. The same fine season how- 
1 



CLIMATE OF NteEi 99 

ever does not reign in every part of the department 
at the same time. The environs of Nice and Men- 
ton are more especially blessed with this mark of 
divine favour. No rain fell at Nice ill the year 
1 805 from March to July* To compensate for the 
dearth of water, gentle dews covered the earth, 
and vapours arose from the sea, which refreshed 
nature with their " genial stores," until Phoebus, 
peeping through the loaded horizon, illumined the 
portal of the east, and hailed the approaching 
morn. The author of a tour through the Mari- 
time Alps observes that the sun was so hot at 
Christmas in the year 1S03, that he was frequent- 
ly obliged to repose under the shade of the lemon 
trees, where the verdant turf, enamelled with a vast 
number of small flo^vers, resembhng the violet, 
flourished in all itsbeautv. 

Chapelle and Bachaumont speak of Hyeres in 
the following manner, but the author of a tour 
through the^ Maritime Alps thought the lines so 
applicable to the climate of Nice, that he has given 
them a place in his work., and I have transcribed 
them; 



H )Z 



100 CLIMATE OF NI€E. 

^^ Que c*est avec plaisir qu*aux irrois 
Si facheux, en France, et si froids. 
On est contraint de chercher Tombre 
Des Grangers qu'en mille endroits 
On y voit sans rang et sans nombre. 
Former des Forets, et des bois ! 
La, jamais les plus grands hivers 
N'ont pu leur declarer la guerre : 
Get heureux coin de Funivers 
Les a toujours beaux, toujours verds, 
Toujours fleuris en pleine terre.'* 

Walk or ride in whatever direction your cu- 
riosity may incline you, and even in the months 
of November and December, your senses will be 
gratified with the wild and beautiful display of 
flowers on each side of the road. The gaudy 
butterfly, in the depth of winter, is seen to flut- 
ter and repose on the delightful beds which Flora 
deigns to offer him. Other insects sport in the 
airy element, and announce the mildness of a spring 
or summer season. Such agreeable objects, the 
temperature of the climate,- and the luxuriance of 
the orange and the olive tree, produce those sensa- 
tions which we are unaccustomed to experience 
elsewhere, but at the meridian of the loveliest 
summer. 



CLIMATE CF NICE. * JOl 

It is natural to suppose that the heat at Kice 
tind other towns of the department of the Mari- 
time Alps is very great in summer, but I doubt 
whether it be so excessively hot there as strangers 
at the first point of view would be induced to ima- 
gine. The reflection of the sun-beams is very 
powerful between the mountains, and occasions a 
great degree of heat to reign around, which, 
however, soon disperses in thunder, if the evapora- 
tion of sulphureous and nitrous particles be con- 
siderable from the earth. The explosion very 
much resembles the report of artillery placed in 
the interstices of the mountains, or sometimes a 
rolling fird of small arms. But what most corrects 
the heat is a gentle breeze that blows from the 
west and south west, and which reigns from eight 
or nine o'clock in the morning until six in the 
evening. It refreshes the air, and revives the in- 
habitants, who might otherwise find the heat op- 
pressive. So very true is this remark, that stran- 
gers, intending to pass the summer at Nice, seek 
apartments of a south-westerly exposure, in order 
to respire this welcome breeze. The windows aix) 



10:3 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

commonly left open, and the virandas closed, so 
that it may find a passage into the chambers. It 
is just strong enough to give a gentle motion to a 
curtain ,^ produce a regular succession of fresh air, 
and invigorate the body. It was known to the 
Romans, who gave it the name of Favonius, 
The Greeks termed it Zephyr, It blows, as fable 
says, with such mildness, yet with that degree of 
force, that it gives life to men, animals, and vege- 
tables ; and also is the defender of the empire of 
Flora. Indeed, it has a right to be the champion 
of this beautiful goddess, since tradition says the 
nuptials of the two have long been celebrated. 

The reader may treat the latter observation with 
the degree of credit it seems to merit, though I 
beg the favor of him to believe that the properties 
of this breeze are such as I have described. Those 
persons who travel in this part of the continent, 
and who have a desire to convince themselves of 
the fact, need only ascend an eminence, and they 
will soon be persuaded of its beneficial effects. 

Besides the services of this friendly guest, th<? 
perpetual evaporations of the Mediterranean, and 



CLIMATE OF NICE*. 103 

the alpine snows, contribute greatly to the enjoy- 
ment of the inhabitant, by maintaining an agreoi- 
able freshness in the gjr, and performing the same 
kind office at an early hour in the morning that 
Zephyr accomplishes during the middle of the day. 
If the traveller wishes to clearly distinguish the 
slight fogs of the sea and the vapours that collect 
around the mountain tops, he must rise at an early 
hour, and ascend a rising ground, where he vt ill see 
them gradually disperse, seldom reaching the up- 
per regions of the air to be compressed and con- 
verted into rain. It would undoubtedly be more 
salutary for man, and, more propitious to vegeta- 
tion, if these vapours oftener became condensed j 
and terminated in showers ; for a great deal of 
heterogeneous matter, which renders the air im- 
pure, and frequently does harm to the constitution, 
would by this means be precipitated to the earth. 
Hail storms, so common behind the chain of 
mountains opposite the sea, and so disastrous, as 
1 have already mentioned, to vegetation, do not 
frequently hapf^lpon the plain of Nice. The sky 
is often clear and serene here when it is cloudy 



104 ^ CLIMATE OF NICE. 

and troubled over other parts of the same depart- 
ment. 

Another dehghtful spot, not at all inferior to 
Nice, and blessed with an equally clear sky and 
agreeable temperature, is Menton, situated at the 
distance of three leagues from the former town. 
Before the revolution in France, the celebrity of 
the climate of Nice attracted strangers from most 
parts of Europe, and the inhabitants accumulated 
small fortunes by the residence of English, 
Germans, Russians, Poles, Italians, Sec. All 
these quitted their native soil to spend six montlis 
of the year in a place where the pleasures of an 
agreeable society, joined to the mildness of ch- 
mate, restored the valetudinarian to health, and 
afforded a source of amusement to him whose 
pursuit was pleasure. 

Sick people should be circumspect in the choice 
of a house, or the various currents of air met 
with in most, and arising from an ill distribution 
of the apartments, and imperfect workmanship, 
will be very perplexing to those whose irritable 
'lungs require a gentle succession of air, but which 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 105 

cannot endure a variety of drafts. The Nissard^ 
have not so much constructed their houses against 
the chills of winter as the heats of summer, for 
which reason they have adopted a light manner of 
building, and paid little attention to the complete 
exclusion of air within. Many of the apartments 
have no chimneys in them, but this defect is sup- 
plied by a vast number of doors, which easily al- 
Jow the cold to enter. 

I am sensible that a few cursory observations 
made upon the climate of a country during a re- 
sidence of a few months, are insufficient to decide 
upon its merits. The most exact statement of the 
elevation and depression of the barometer and 
thermometer, with accurate remarks on the me- 
teors, cannot afford a just criterion of climate, 
unless continued for several years : one season 
seldom or never resembles another ; it is colder 
or hotter, more moist or dry, ovt'ing to a variety of 
phenomena concealed in the secrets of nature : and 
if it be true that a revolution has taken place in the 
elements within a period of twenty years, it proves 
m a still stronger manner the difficulty of ascertain- 



i06 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

iiig a true knowledge of the quality of climate. 
Neither a season iinusally cold, nor particularly 
warm, can be chosen as a standard for the weather. 
Extraordinary circumstances, originating in the 
meteors, intervene between one season and ano- 
ther, and though they probably render a particu- 
lar state of climate inexplicable, we are not less 
sensible of their effects, A thick fog spread it- 
self in the summer of 1782 over a great part of 
Europe and the Northern part of America, which 
was followed by a great diminution of heat ip 
the earth, and severe frosts the ensuing winter. 
Conjectures have been made respecting the cause 
of this event, but I doubt whether they satisfy 
the philosophic mind. 

The winter of 1 802, which I spent at Nice, 
was very cold, and so it was every where on the 
continent of Europe. The frosts were severe, and 
a great deal of snow fell in Languedoc, Provence, 
and other southerly departments, but we were 
little incommoded by them at Nice. It v/ould 
not be impartial, therefore, to give that year as 
a criterion of the weather, though if mymetcoro- 



CLIMATE OF XICE, lOJ 

logical tables were compared with others made in 
various parts of France and Italy, I have no doubt 
but the temperature of Nice would be found 
equal to that of Italy, and superior to that of any 
of the departments of France. 

I endeavoured to collect tables of the weather 
for several years back, but I failed in my re^ 
searches. The papers I examined in the hope of 
collecting some useful remarks therefrom, were 
written so ill, at such a remote period, and so 
scanty in detail, that I could extract nothing 
worth my attention. Little regard was paid to 
objects of this kind in a time of civil and foreign 
discord : the minds of men were wholly em- 
ployed in projecting plans of personal security, 
and fortunate were they who found the means of 
evading the scaffold. 

It was during the short interval of peace be-, 
tween England and France that I collected tb-e 
observations I have now the honor of laying before 
the pubhc. 

I shall be flattered, and perfectly rewarded for 
my trouble, by learning they had been of the least 
service, was it but to a single individual. 



108 CLIMATE OF NICE, 

I have no doubt but that Pisa, Genoa, Hyeres^ 
and Montpellier, have all certain advantages for 
the residence of invalids, but the exhalations from 
the plains of one, and exposure to the north wind 
of another, are inconveniences which do not ac- 
company an abode at Nice. If you made choice 
of Pisa or Genoa to reside at, you could remain 
there during the depth of winter only, as the ex- 
cessive heat of the sun would oblige you to de- 
camp to the northward at the commencement of 
spring, whereas you may with pleasure remain at 
Nice till the month of May. You would, at least, 
be glad to quit Genoa long ere this ; and, as far as 
regards a comparison of chmate with Montpellier 
and Nice, I do not hesitate to say the latter has an 
infinite superiority. 

The country, for an extensive tract around 
Montpellier, is very level, and consequently ex- 
posed to the influence of winds coming from 
every point of the horizon. « The air there is 
commonly too sharp for consumptive persons, 
and the extreme damp that prevails during the 
winter months would be found highly detrimental 
to many constitutions. Where the atmosphere is 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 109 

loaded with vapour, as in the neighbourhood of 
Montpellierjand exceedingly cold at the same time, 
we must allow that a residence in it is not likely 
to favour the removal of a pulmonary com- 
plaint. 

Those who quit Nice to pass a short time at 
Montpellier, always express the sense of cold they 
experience by the transition. 

If, for the sake of discussion, we were to place 
the two spots in the same geographical position, one 
open on all sides, as Montpellier, the other closely: 
encircled by mountains, as Nice, we should 
have no difficulty in declaring in favour of the 
latter country for the abode of the valetudi- 
narian. 

I am aware that not every season at Nice has 
been equally favorable to invalids, who have gone 
thither in the anxious hope of seeing their health 
restored; but, if some have not found the benefit 
from a changQ of cl aiaie, which their expectations 
formed, there are certainly many that have de- 
rived great advantages from it, and even wardecj 
off a disease that bade fair to strike deep root in 



1 10 CLiMAtE OF NICE. 

a less auspicious clime. It is but just to subjpiii 
to the observations I made on this climate in a 
severe winter, the reports handed down to us 
thereupon by such respectable writers as Messrs. 
Sulzer, La Lande, Thomas, &c. all of whom 
unanimously agree on its great superiority over 
other countries in the same latitude. A longer 
abode at Nice, better grounded information, and 
facts corroborated by the test of years, enabled 
those gentlemen to speak with more freedom and 
exactitude on its properties than I should venture 
to do, whose stay there was short. The reader will 
perceive by the subsequent extracts, that I have by 
no means too highly appreciated the climate, and 
that I have likewise purposely avoided panegyric, 
in order that the sentiments of more minute ob- 
servers might be canvassed, and their reports 
verify, if not surpass, the opinions I have delivered. 
A description of the country is blended with an 
account of the climate in the letters of the 
gentlemen I have alluded to; I am therefore 

o 

obliged to transcribe all, that the reader may los® 
nothing that relates to the subject 1 am novr 



CLIMATE OF NlC£* HI 

treating: " La temperature, dit M. La Laiide, 
Nice, est telle qu'on auroit peine a en trouver 
uoe aussi douce, meme en Italie. Le cliniat de 
Naples n'est pas pljs doux en hiver, il est plus 
brnlant en ete : ie tliermometre n'y descendit pas 
a plus de troisdegres de froid. Le mois de Mai 
est rarement anssi beau en France que le mois 
Fevrier i'est a Nice ; et c'est au mois de Fevriec 
que la temperature y'est naoins douce, et le temps 
plus inconstant. L^ete est fort chaud sans dout« • 
car la temperature moyenne est de vingt deux 
degres, mais le„ tbermom^tre ne passe presque 
jamais vingt quatre, et cette cbaleur est agreabla- 
ment temperee par une brise de Mer ; qui tou3 
les jours s'eleve a dix beures. du matin, et souffle 
jusqu^au coucher du Soleil, moment ou commence 
la brise de terre, qui est egalement rcfraicbissante- 
On vit long-temps dans ce pays. La pleuris^e 
est presque la seule maladie cjui soit commune. 
La campagne, ou le territoire de Nice repond par* 
faitement a ce qu'un ciel si beau semble pro- 
mettre ; c'est une plaine coupee par des coteaiix. 
derriere lesquels s'elevent trois rangs de Mon- 



lit CLIMATE OP NICE- , 

tagnes graduees dans leur hauteur, dont le der- 
nier rang se confond avec les Alpes^ C'est k ce 
triple rempart qu'on doit Favantage d une si douce 
temperature. C'est cetabri naturelqui met tant de 
difference entre la temperature de Nice, et ceUe 
des lieux voisins qui n'ont pas la meme exposition ; 
aussi cette campagne est tres peuplee. 

" On y est a Tabri du froid, dit M. Sulzer, des 
Beiges et des brouillards; on y jouit, pour ainsl 
dire, en liiver d'un printems perpetuel; I'hiver 
de 1775 qui se fit sentir avec tant de rigueur, 
fut fort doux a Nice, quoiqu'il parut aux habitans 
extremement rude. Le froid fut tres support- 
able depuis le commencement de Decembre 
jusqu'a la fin de Mars: il ne tomba point de 
neige pendant tout Phiver excepte sur le sommet 
des Montagnes, et trois fois seulement la gelee fut 
assez forte pour couvrir les eaux'dormantes d'un^ 
legere glace, qui disparoissoit cependant d'abord 
apres le lever du Soleil. Les pluies et les vents 
des mois de Janvier et Fevrier etoient les'seuls 
incommodites de ce rude hiver : cependant nous 
euraes dans ces memes mois et surtout en De« 



CLIMATE GF NICE. 113 

cembre des journ^es delicieuses: aussitot que la 
pluie cessoit la saison redevenoit belle, et comparar 
ble aux plus doux printems de TAllemagne. 
L^air d'ici m'a paru beaucoup plus pur, et plus 
serein que par-tout ailleurs. II n'y a guere de 
ville en Europe qui soit plus propre que Nice 
pour un observatoire : car en temps de pluie meme 
oiine s'appercoit pas que Pair devienne humide, 
ou epais. Un Valetudinaire qui a besoin de res- 
pirer un air pur et sec, et de se tenir en exercice 
trouvera a Nice pendant Fhiver tout ce qui lui 
est necessaire. Dans ce climat la Nature n'est 
pas en repos pendant Phiver. Les jardins sont 
toujours verds, on y seme, et Ton plante. sans 
relache ; les endroits incultes des montagnes sont 
perpetuellment converts d'herbes: dans les plaines 
on voit des fleurs naissantes, des arbres charges 
de fruit ou en fleurs : les oliviers, et les lauriers 
portent des fruits pendant tout Thiver ; les citron- 
niers,"'et ks orangers paroissent en meme temps 
dans tout leur eclat, et forment un coup d'oeil 
magnifique. Les promenades de ces contrees 
acquierent un nouveau prix pour un etranger 

I 



114 GLIMATII OF NICE* 

accoutoume aux pays septentrionaux, en ce 
qu'elles lui ofFrent de toutes parts des objets in- 
connus. La vue meme des montagnes, et des 
rochers lee plus steriles devient encore in t6ressantes 
^ar le contraste. D'un cote la nature se montre 
dans le dernier degre de sa pauvrete, et de 
I'autre elle etale dans les plaines et dans les vallees 
tous ses charmes, et toute sa beaute/' Another 
writer says, "Hinc niciensis agri temperiem, 
^tque amoenitatem datur conjicere. Ilia equi- 
dhm tanta est, ut nulli hac in parte urbi, non 
modo in Italia, sed neque intra Europam concedat. 
Coeli verb clementiam non satis quis digne laudi- 
bus celebret. Ex hac beata, ac felici ora, semper 
aspera hyems exulat, floresque ac varii generis 
fructus gignens, perpetuo vernat humus." 

Mr. Thomas, director of the French academy, 
finding his health get worse every day resorted tp 
Nice in the hope of repairing, by the salubrity of 
the air, what art had been linable to effect. This 
academician corresponded very regularly with the 
celebrated Mrs. Necker, and in a letter to that 
lacly enters upon the merits of the air office. 



CUMATE OF NICE. 115 

In a letter dated Nice, December, 17th ISO!^^ he 
writes " Je suis dans un tres beau climat, mais je 
ne scais si c'est celui qui me convient. Je crains 
que le voisinage de la mer, dont je suis entoure, 
ne soit point favorable a mon et^t. Du reste, 
je jouis ici d'un magnifique specfeacie ; il n'y a 
nulle part ni un plus beau ciel, ni des promenades 
qui pr^sentent de plus beaux points de vue: il 
est vrai qu'il faut aller les chercher a travers les 
montagnes et des sen tiers penibles i mais on y 
rencontre partout Tolivier, le myrte, le citron nier, 
Toranger; et sous ses pas, le tbym, le romarin, 
la lavande, et la sauge, que la nature a semes dans 
des deserts et au miheu des rochers. On y voit, 
du meme coup d'oeil, tout ce que la nature a de 
plus sauvage, et le luxe des jardins de plus pre- 
cieux,. Dans ces lieux eleves Fair sembie com- 
pose d^aromates et de parfums ; on a sur sa tete 
un ciel respl«ndissant d'azur, un Soleil aussi 
brillant que dans les plusbeaux jours d'ete: autour 
de soi, des montagnes couvertes des jardins, et 
d^une fouie inombrable de maisons de campagne 
qui semblent suspendues sur des rochers, et au 

I ^ 



il6 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

milieu des arbres ; dans le vallon, le terrain le 
plus eultive et le phis riche, coupe par un vaste 
torrent, dont le lit souvent a sec, est tout couvert 
des debris dfes montagnes, et offre I'image de la 
destruction a cote de celle de la fertilite : devant 
soi, le mirroir inimense de la mer qui s'enfonce 
et se perd de tous les cotes dans Fhorizon et re- 
flechit la lumifere la plus Vive; et derriere, du 
coth de Turin, les Alpes naissantes qu^'on apper- 
coit de loin, blanchees par les nieges, dans le 
meme moment ou le soleil vous fait 6prouver la 
chaleur la plus douce, et qu'on croit respirer Fair 
du printems. J'ai contemple, il y a quelque 
jours, pendant plusieurs heures, ce grand tableau, 
sur une des plus hautes montagnes; je voyois 
Nice a mes pieds, Antibes au couchant, Monaco, 
vers le midi ; je dominois sur les rocher^'.qui 
couvrent le port de Ville-franche, et sur la mer qui 
conduit h. G^nes : en meme temps, je touchois a 
un fort qui, d>ans ce si^cle, a ete assiege trois fois 
par nos armies, et nous a coute en 1744, la perte 
de quatre mille hommes dont un grand nombre 
perit dans le, torrent que j'avois sous les yeux. 



CLIMATE OF KICE. 117 

Je deploiois les crimes et les malheurs de 1^ 
guerre dans un pays si beau, et ou la nature a tant 
fait pour le bonheur des habitans.'^ 

The same author writes to another friend itii 
these terms, dated, Nice, December 28, 1802. 
" Vous m'absoudrez, men cher ami, et puisje 
vous dirai que je suis a Nice, que je suis loge 
dans une charmante maison, situee a la campagne 
ct sur les bords de la mer, mais a mi-c6te et a 
distance raisonnable. J'ai sous ma fen^tre ce 
beau et immense basin que je decouvre de tous 
cotes, jusqu'aux bornes de Thorizon, 

" J'en tends la nuit, et de mon Ht, le bruit des 
vagues ; et ce son monotone et sourd m'invite 
doucement au sommeil. Je n^ai jamais vu de 
plus beaux jours que ceux dont nous jouissons 
ici : le soleil y est dans son plus grand eclat ; la 
chaleur, a midi, est comme celle du mois de 
mai a Paris, lersqu'il est beau. La campagne 
est encore riante et couverte de gazons. Les 
petits pois sont en fleurs. On trouve dans les 
jardins la rose, Pceillet, Fanemone, le jasmin, 
comme en ete, L'orange et le citron sont sus- 
2 



118 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

pendiis a des milliers d^arbres epars dans les cam- 
pannes et dans les enclos. Tout ofFre I'image de 
la fertilite et du pring terns. Joignez a cela des 
promenades tres agreables dans les montagnes, 
et ou I'on decouvre a chaque pas les points de 
vue les plus pittoresques; partout le melange de 
la nature sauvage et de la nature cultivee, des 
montagnes, qui sont des jardins, et d'autres 
herissees de roches, entre-coupees de pins et de 
cypres: et dans Teloignement, la cime des Alpes 
couverte des nieges. Voila, mon cher ami, le 
sejour que j'habite; il est infiniment preferable li 
celui d^Hyeres : la temperature, jusqu' a present 
du moins, y est plus douce et plus egale.'^ In 
another place alluding to the symptoms of his 
complaint, he sa} s : " lis ne m'empechent pas 
pourtant de jouir de ce delicieux climat, de faire 
des promenades charmantes, oa la seule incom- 
modite, a la veille de Noel, est la chaleur. Que 
n'etes vous avec moi, mon cher Ami, vous qui 
avez Fame si douce et Pimagination si forte ! vous 
qui savez converser avec la nature ou belle ou 
terrible, et savez egalement i^entendre ou lui re- 



CLIMATE OF NICE, llf 

pondre ! Je siiis sur que vous seriez heureux et 
que vous ajouteriez a mon bonheur. J^ai vu 
dernierement un des lieux les plus sauvages qui 
existent dans la nature : c'est un amas de rochers, 
et de montagnes couverts d^arbres toujours verts, 
et jetes ca et la par toufFes irr6gulieres : des pre- 
cipices de soixante pieds, creuses par des torrents ; 
Feau qu^on entend a cetteprofondeur est du soni- 
met des rochers, sans cependant la voir, parce- 
qu'elle roule sous des rochers et sous des arbres ; 
enfin a travers un ehemin etroit, suspendu sur le 
bord d'un abyme,on parvient jusqu'a Fen tree d*une 
cavernetres vastejforoiee par les eaux,tapisseed<^ 
plantes, et dont la voute est en roches aigues qui 
pendent sur la tete, et semblent pretes a cbaque 
instant a se detacher. Dans Tenfoncement de la 
grotte, et tout-a-fait dans Tombre, est un source 
ou une fontaine tres considerable, et qu'on en- 
tend bouilloner en se brisant a travers les 
rochers, &c. &c/* 

I insert also in this place, part of a letter writ- 
ten on the 20th November, 1784, to a friend 
at Nice. " Je suis a Nice, mon cher ami, et apres 



120 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

avoir balance longtemps sur le climat que je pre- 
fererois pour mon hiver, j'ai choisi le plus agre- 
able et le plus doux, quoique le plus eloigne. 
Je n'ai pu rester que ving-quatre heures a Avig- 
non, car il y regnoit une hm violente et froide 
sous le plus beau ciel. On y voyoit Tete, mais 
on y sentoit I'hyver ; c'est a peu-pres la meme 
temperature dans tout le Comtat. A I'egard du 
Languedoc, il y regne aussi de tres grands vents ; 
on y eprouve pendant deux mois des gelees assez 
fortes; en consequence, je suis revenu me mettre 
au soleil, comme un espalier entre la mer et les 
Jnontagnes de Nice, &c. &c.^^ 

I here present the reader with tables of the 
weather. 



^onth of Germinal, An. A. of the Fr Rep. Mar. Apr. 


1809. 


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Month of Messidor, An.'^X. of the Fr. Rep. June & July, 1802. 






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Month. 



aEVJCiO>^WibOH-O^OOv:iCiCnrfi.WtO 






«E OB CD_Vl VjV4^ODGOODQ0(XCBO0CDODO0ODVrVl^O0'O0QDO0ODQDCCQDO0 

th-i-O^OOOOfcOtCt-'O — ^^►-»->-^i~ — OOt-OOH-totOOJ 

•i IfO to lOtO^JtsStObOlOtOtObOfcOlOtOlObOcOtOtOlOtOfeOfcOlsJtOtOlOtO 
®QDaD^^^VtVlGDQDQD00COaDQ0C»g)W0DCDVlv:tC»C»QDQDVrQDQDQ0Q0 



Day 
of the 
Moon. 



t-'-^COWbO^O^^-'*-' — ---H-o*-©©©^^ 



O ti fco to 



OC0DO0JC0OttOOOO00CnO»OtOO»0:'OOOCOOOiC>30C»0DOCPOi 
iKJ bO lO lO to to to l>3 tsD ki to to ls5 lO lO to to lO lO lO to to to JO to Is) to fcO lO 
«BQDCD^>Vi^v4ViOOOOCOQOQOOOQDCDODCDGD^VJVrc»ODOOV|OOOOCO 

ga^ipr-v-o»-'-»-feo>->->t-to»-^->-t-0*-"^00>-'-o^to 

frCOOCOQeoOOiOiO O O 0» O 03tOL-i00O00Oa)OQDOT00C0C003 



3 rt O 



O. taOiC^OiOiOOOOC^ OoSS^O*^^^*^^QOOOCOGOSOQDOOCDOB 
<-jTOCaOOGtO>t^OBCnOOOCOOCOOOOCf;OOOOCOO>OtODMOCj> 

— — — — ^^to,o»-ioiobOioi ' — — — H-tototo — tototot^tototo 

"M:-^*>ao-i4^©)OOto^O^*-OD^:r?OQOQOooO'-0^^0 — OO'-to 



Q: O 
OBI Qi 



O OP 00 OOO 00*-^^<»0 Cn 0_0«^ 



O t- ^'3^ 



to to to fcO to to 
►- to to to H- to 



to to to to to 

-- ^ o o o 



OOOiOROOOOOODQO 
tototobototototototototo 



OOO 



h- »- ^ o 



O O 



00 0>^ CPODOODCnCCDQOtQCnOOi 



to <— 
00 O Oi 'O to 

>-_o_j5_c_oi_ 

"M O rf^ Q O) 
O K3 O bO OCy 
Cj« Oi tfe. Oi C^ 

Oi O O o» o 



to to to to lO to 

O to H- to W 4^ 



to to to to to 

to H- »- H- o 



0:>CnQDCOOC;JOC->0?OOtOD 

boiotobototototototoboto 

Qbotouitototototocotow 



woooooboo oo qciootooooooooo 

■^ to to H- to to to —'►- — H- 
co»- O^ O — O^^^DOO 



»- V- to (O to to "- to ^ ^ »- 
QOCOt-i-OO'OOOOCO^ 



c*300 O^ OOOOOiOCiOOOODOOiQOODO 



>— to — — -- to 

QD O ^ 'O ^ O 



O OB 00^ CO 



— — tObObOtOi— tOtOi- — 

0DQ0O>-OO<©OO^^ 



NJ O to Oj-O O O C^ O OOOopOOiOO»0000 



3 ? 






^ * ^ 



""* *"■ *"* 5' 2 5:* o 5' o* ^* ?^" 5* 



OOP 



b b i' 



ct w o d o c 53 a o cr o a a o o T) o o o 

;r S^ ^' ? ^ ^- H. ^' ^' p;- x- x- ?i- x- 5:- 5" ^- r ^* 

cSctOv. g^o'^' ooooooog^.^ ^Q.^ 

2-." ^"-.i'S v^ '^< 



o^DOQgc^j^qqw 



-?• ft 



p; o 
o 3 

o 
c 

t. 

3* 



. . _ o 




00 



o o 



0^0 

^' d'o 



3 0==" 

o § P 

B* 



^' 5" p 



O O f6 

5 



S P 



5:31. 



t3 






onth of Thertnidor, An. X. of the Fr. Rep. July & Aug. 1803 






0'©of)'^a)0»6'Wfco 



vjQ)Crt>^tCt0f-O^ ODVJCiOirfi.COtO 






ODO0C»0OQD(XC»C»O0O0O0C»CCC»CDQOO0C»O000GDa0QDQO(XO0C»QOQD 

0>-tOWWJs5tOtOtOWtOfcOH-fcOt-H-i--r-»-iOOt--'fcOtO;-'H-H-h-fcO 

0» ^ O OOOCC'Oi^^'g)OODO^OOTOOCOCwOCCOOiCOOOOOOC 



Day 
of the 
Month. 



Day 

of the 
Moon J 



QDCX>(»(»0DC»O0O00BC»0000a5COCD(X)00<»QDCOQ0OC)Q0COGDGDCDGD0O 
»CD(»C»0OCDGO(»C»Q0O000O2(X)O0Q0C»O0O0C»O0C»CDO0Q0<XC»QOCD 

PCPtQ cc'ococ^cr»ooocootooD^OOcrOts)v>OODOO 0_0. 



^3t0tCH->-.-tOtOfcsJU)lO^i— — — ^tOH-t- — >- — ^^ — ^t- — 
DOQDOt;<CnOO OO OC>3000GOOOOO'^000000<OOtO'vj 

s!tOtP — ^tON3 — tO — tO — ^- — »-•'-•-►- — ' N-*-i H-.- — _- 



sJtofco — ^toto — to — to 

-fcowco^oo— ^O^'-^oooooovi^eo^'vraooooicooiCDOoooo) 



to to K> to to to to to lo w to to to to 

tOfeOh-t-totOr-o^OOOO^ 



otototototototototototototoKJtotototototot-Dtototototototo 



PODQCOODCPQCrtOOtOOiOOOOObOtOO 
sJtototototObototototototototototototo 

fltnWOi>|i.WWrt».0iWC0fc0t0t0t-Wp-l-O 



Oi O Cn Cjt Ot CjT tfi- O O O 



to to to — lO 

o o o^ o 



to to to lO — 

'- ^ '- t-^ 



DOOOOOOOOOOOOC0TO».OtC>t-O>txOOj^OiC-.OC 



oiototototototototototoioto^totO'-to 
o»-WH-^-OfcOO — ^isi'-0^i->-OMO 



O^^cBco 



QD^ <0 00 OO 



nQOOO^^^OODO^OOO^OOiOiODtOO^tOOOOOOGPOQCjiO 



ofcotototototototototo — — t-. — ►-,---,— 
-^H-ts>oOO'-O^C'O<OCOX>^^^Q0 



rpppopopopppP opoog^o*^ ^ 



ODOOOOVJOioOOO^^OOVj 

to JJi_0 to OP o o o o o 



c o ^ 



;^. 



= ^ 



^ o g^o o 



'^ J^ ^ rj Crt 

p o o fT 



J- s 



'i 5:' 5^* ^* 5:* S^' 5^* 5^' S' S' ^* 5:' 5:' ^' 
)pcopppooppcoP 



5ESS5??5S?<?. S?25P?5^Q?^Q 



p P "^ o S p p o p p o g^ < 



CL. 



C^ O- Q- ex 3^ 

a> ?;■ ?;-■ ^* s 
o o o . 



r-r c/> O :T 5 O 

- - - - p c 
a. 



p. 



r?5 222SP.S?P. 5S252^2 5'QS2SS?5?3^3 52G 

rp©ooooo§"oooooP oogoooooo? ? ?o = 

* ' ^ ^ 



Month of Fructidor, An. X. of the Fr. Repub. Aug 


. & Sep. 


180 


% 


t^ 


ClObOtOlOlOtOtObOtOtOtOv--^t--^h-^^-- 

O ^ 00 ^ c: u. ►;- u to »- c o 00 ^ o^ oi rf^ CO to H- o.co a)vrciO»>;i.<»5tow- 


Day 1 
Of the 
Month. 


^'' 


oo^-:rC;Oi4^cciOi-ocoa:^O^jOiJ^wto — otooovjOi<^.fi>>OJ 


to to to >- 

to .- o^ 


of tie 




to to to to N. to to to to to to to to to to lo to to tc to to to ic to to 

ODQDa0OD^*vi>v,oO(iCO0ODQ00OODa)ODODO0O0CCQOO0OD(XQO 

fcOLototOi-t-^H-h-)-i totOH-h-tocotototo*- — toto 

t»»aDO:CCC^JOOO^OOiOOtnOOO'<r"vjotjiOH-Cn 


28 2 
28 2 

28 1 7 
28 1 8 


1.1 

m 


> 

c 




fcoiototovotototoiotototototoiototototototototototot^ 

ODODOOOBQD^viQOOOCOODOOOOOOOOOOOCQOOOQOOOOOOOOOODOO^ 

totowtoO'-OO'-t-^-'-tobo^^towcotototoototog' 
c:;ocococctnOOTOOc*2aoooootoOOOcooDCOiOiOi2 


28 2 
28 1 8 
28 1 5 


a: 




to lo to to lo to to t:; to to to lo to to to to to to bo to lo to to to to 

00 00 00 UO QO 09 *^ GOOOOOOOOC/OOOOODOCC/^OOCDOOOOOOOOOOQO!^ 

boio&jwcc^i-OO'- — ^tobotot-tooicctowbo — totop 
Oiv:tCCC^QCCO>-ODO'^CC^5CC^O^tocc^w^ 


28 2 

28 1 7 
28 1 6 


R 2 




tocoOtntotooiCC^OiC'OcoCOOoocjiQcooOCjiO 


to to to to 

O OD^ C'l 


IP 

§ 

IP 
'■' = 1 


H 

w 

i 




O^OiOi Oi'M^rOCODGOVj^CnviCC OO^t^OD^-M-vtVlCOOOi- 

OOOTOOOOOO00bO00CO00OOO»-'OTOO"O» 


i^ to to to 

o - - o 
^O O o, o 




— lo to to w ic to to to to to to to to to to to lo to to LO to to to lO 

;000 — OCCh-tOtO!- — .-wto — to — toiobototowoow 

030^000iCOOOC-r.lOOiOO^^lOOOO.OOOOO><JO 


to to to 

W h- u 

Oi tJi Oi 




to to to to to lO lO to to lo to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to 

Oh-^IO — tOtr»tO>|:^OitOO»tOtOr-tOH-Oi>ts.tOW>^C;itO>j£^ 

OOOOOOOCnOc-iQOOOCOtoOboOOCS^OOOWO' 


to to to 

4^ OO 0« 

05 o o 




; ^; ioio — toto>-to — tototototototobototototo 

•sr^'0<000>-'0^-OCOC^O»-OOOOOO^^lOO 

O O ^ C to 0» O-tO OOtT'OO'O^-OOQDCnOiQOOOCcOi Cn 


to to to 

to r- to 

O cr o 




vJoi-MOOV) GOCocS O^00o5^O^^«OO^^^^ Oco 


to to to 

W h- >- 

ooo 




Fine. 

Ditto, Easty. wind. 

Ss. wd.cliangeable. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto. 

Fine, 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto^ 

Ditto. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto. 

Fine. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto, and windy. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Fine. 

Ditto. 

Ditto 


? ? ^ 


2 



z 



B 

PI 
< 

i. 


> 

C 

> 




^- ;^" ^" o ::;" ::i' 3 ?;* ^' ;:;• ^' ^ ^' :^' ^ ::;• ^- ^- 3 ^' o ^" g o s 

. . . ^ . . • g. • • ...... . ^ . ^ 




^ 


:^- :^- ;:;• cT :3<.- o o *" 3' ^' c ;:i' ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^- ^' f^" 3 o 
? ? ? ci^? c^i^a.^ ? o.? ? 9 9 ? ? ?. ? 9 ? ? ? ' cl. 

o 

o 

O 3 


9 ? ^ 


■i 



)nth of Vendemiaire, An. XI. of the Fr. Rep. Sep. & Oct. 1802 





0^oo'^cr;Oi>;i-wtot*-o^co'^CiO»>Fi.wtOH- 


Day 
of the 
Month. 


aO>O»>^.C>3fc0 t-O^ 


CDV>OiCj.*.C0 fcO— oSS-^OiC^^wS-O^ 


Day 

of the 

%• 'OP. 



>D to to to 

» 00 00 GO 



- O O O 



to to N5 to rs3 to to 

CO CD OD"^ OO QD (X 



vj ^ O >- O 10 I- 
O w -cn o ^ •<r CO 



to to to to 

00 OO 00 CO 



^ to CO w 

o >^ o o 



lo to to to to to to to to to to 

ODGDGCOOCOGOODOOOOCCOO 



cococobOK>coocto>— toco 

O G) Cn -^t Ctt >ft. 4^ Oi O O O 



S5 to to to 
» 00 00 CD 



o o o 

H- 00 O 



to ti to to to to to 

00 00 00 VI 00 00 00 



O ^ O O O to to 
Cn O C;i OC O O O 



to to to to 

CC QO 00 00 



O to CO 00 

O 00 O O 



tototOLOtototototOboto 

oooooocooocooooooooooo 



W CO 

c o. 



COCOtOCOCOCOh- — CO 
OO — 4i' toco O ti Cn O 



to to to 

00 QC C^ 



O - to 

to to <s5" 

00-00 00 



to t- to 

en Cn O 



3 C_ 



o to to to 

)0 00 CD 00 



- h- o o 



to to to to to to to 
00 00 v^vrvi 00 JO 



O r- u- ♦- ,- OO to 
OO Cn CO O O C vr 



to to to to 

00 CC 00 00 



O *- to OO 



tObOtOfcOlOtOtOtO«OtOtOtOtObO 

OOOCOOCDOOODQOOOOOODODODCCOO 



OOCOOOCOtOOOOOOOtO'-'tOCOtOi— 

CO^vJCj>C;iOv^i-0 OO ^ O CO 00 



^4!k.ts)(0)^brCnCOCn4^tl^^COCn 


CO CO to 


to CO CO OO CC 4:^. to 00 


►L. W 


0^ tft 


vKC OOOi^COi(kOOOCn4i^OO» — 


Cn Ct CO 


COOOCriCiOOCCiC; 


OOIO 


O O 


>04:».tO0cCo4i«Ci00Oi»fi.Co4i'Cocn 


Oi CO to 


W 00 CC CO CO ^ to CO 


>1^ >^ 


CO Oi 


:5^OOC-itOCCnOO00OOO 


O 0^ O 


O Cn O O^O O CO CO 


CD O 


C-. O 


^j ci Oi*^J coiCcvjoovrvrco-MGD 


CO 00 V) 


0*^rv)vjccvj^ 00 


CC vj 


00^ 


5COOOOOOOOOO00O 


1- O to 


O»Q0*-OiCOOt0 


00 On 


lo o 




to to •— 


to to to to to ic to — 

^-too^'-OO^ 


^g 


to tC 

1— to 


-4^,-vjwc:ioooD^ ooooo 


C O 00 


DOiOOt-'OOOCCooOOC;' 


O CO Ci 


oovjoo^tcj,cr5 


o o 


OD C 


H M Zr t^ i^vj Cji C:)VJ Oi 


a^ Cn 


01 ►^ O: Oi Oi O^ 4^ (^ 


Ol -^ Or, S 


nOiC;» OOO^O.OOi 


Oi Ci •- 


Ci CC CO O O to C» Cn 


t;. O 


00 Oi 



^5: 

car 






= X I 



o »{ik 4». *k it^ CO ^i. t;x Ct vr 4^ Ci vj 0-, Oi .>^ >f^ C-» Cn C?i 4^ CI hi. On ^ On vr Oi O.i^i^ r'n! 
50^ CO O 0» COC l>-^OCOOiOCr>OOiOO^OC bOQ^Q O^ 00 Q VT Q ! 5 " I 



V :;.•;::;•?;•;=.• Pi- ;:;• o" 2 s ^' o o ^ 5 5 ^ ^- ;:;• 3 o ;:;• -• ^' ^ -• 



> o o p 
i 



000 






•^ 



c c c ^ 
a, sx c- 
'T? "^ ^ 

Ci 



5 o 
P c 






O O 



O C r* r^ -t 






;• w. ?;• :i- r;.- 5- ^- ;::.• <5 3 ;:;• o ^^^ -■ ;^- -■ ;;• ^- ^i- -• ►:^. -;• ^ ^ ^ ^ 



o 



O "' o o 

3l* ^ 



^ ^ ^ ^ 5:' z" '^' !n:" 5^' ""^ ^ 
o o o p o p p 3" p o o o ^ 



i ^ ?* ? ? § §■ 5- ^ ^ S ? § S ? 2* S' ^' ^' ? ?1?" S' r. 5:' § c^: 5' 2 



2 w s: 
5 =5 o 

^ re 
• ta 

cr 



o 



pi 






000000 



^ OP ^ 



Month ofPrumaire, An. XI. of the Fr. Rep. Oct. & Nov. 1802^ 






of the 

Monih. 



00*>siC5tnH^Cois>^O^OOV»CiCni^>CJtO 



O'O0D^JO--0i+-Wt0H-O^ 



Uay 
of the 
Moon. 



i>i t>i bo 5>- to lo to tc lo to tvJ to to to 



to ic to lo to to to to to to lo to lo to to 



c ^ o c^ c -cc^«o 

^ cc Oi O o» c o o _ c^ cp_ 
to ic 



- o vr 

POD 



00 I- to 



O'O 
00 — 



Oi'M'v^tVlOO'-^.-OtOtO 

o: 'M_p_nC4^ o o o o 00 



to to ic to to Lc to to 
00 a^vjvi^v^^sj 



00 — CnOO^ v-ccO^ 

O O O O 00 O O. co_p^co_ 
*o to to ic lo to to to to to 



to to lO 

00 00 VJ 



O O 00 



to to to to 

OD CD 00 ^ 



o 
o 

CD D- O to 

o 5to o^ 



tototototototototototo 

*^lVJViV^V}VtVlSiV4 00 OO 



CD — 

o_o 
c o 



0»00^ i-CiO0D<© 



to to to 

OO ^J -M 



o - ^ 
O to O 



to < 



o 

"^ 3 



to to 

OJ 00 



O to 

Cn 00 



to to 

00 VI 



to H- 

tO 00 



o-^ vr vjvj ^ o — c »- to 

Q) V) "^ V> 0_^ 00 O Ot VJ ^ 

to to !o to lo to to to to (O to I 

'siv:rvjoovi-ot- — — O^ 
00 o go vr O O *^ ^ o «> o 



- ]^ c^ 



'O M c^ cr. vj ^.t vt to w 



O O 4^ ^. C feo O CD O C: .to. Ci O ^ _ 
«C^ coco O^ CiVJCi*^«vi*vtt- W 



r-OOOOO^QOOOOOtO*-0:)OiW>^ 
to X^ O 4i- CJ^ Cn Q> ^> Oi O Oi O Cn CQ t p 
O^Q^VJOOVJOcOOCOf-tOtoi^O^W 



O OH-.'v>oiOOooocr _ oo oooDCOJvrOooQ)>-^,crrOo;cM 



o c 

*0^' 

VJ oc 



Cn_ClD_C£t^ 

w CO Z 

O cjt g, 
oco o 

o. o c 



o - 

C7» OO 



O O V) ^- N- Oj io 

>— o; to Cn Cj> o <— ' 



Or^i^WWtO^OtO^ti-.CnOiO^vi'M 



c>:>OOOO^QOO^ODO'Ot»Cj<Ooo o 



o *- 

p_w 
o o 

VI o 



<J^ (Ji> CD J)^ Ox ti^ (A 
Cr» O O W O On ^J 



OOOt^OO^OOOOO OOOD 



'"-IVJODODCDQW tOtOOOOOOQOt-tOtOOitfcktSo^U) 



— 'vC^QOOC^C)COCDODC»COtO ^^►-OCDOOODCDCOO'-tOtOtO'MOi 



O O C) 00 Cj> 






crj T] Q 



op_ 



o c o 



tJiCO 






-TJ 2C ^ ^ 

gJrTS 



o oi; Q ^ n c 



- § s g 



rfu en o O > ^ >-. 



o 






o o -c; 



(T> 



^ • 



c^ 
^ 









5* 



c 



55 



ft ^' p; 






•''^- .^ ? 

9 



^. (T) 












O O O cc 

papa coo 

W p C Ve; 

X* f^ o c 



^ 5* • d 
o r v, 



mc ; 
%<!■■ 
5.8 



{^9 










. n% r\ 


Fine. 

Fine Rain; 

Ditto. 

Cloudy. 

Fine. 

Ditto. 

Cloudy. 

Do. s.Southy.vriJ. 


Fine. 

Cloudy. 

Fine. 

Rain. 

Ditto. 

Heavy Rain. 

Ditto, Easty. wind, 

Cy. storm after mid. 

Hy. R.thund.&lig 

Heavy Rain. 

Fine, a few clouds. 

Ditto. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Ditto. 

Fine Rain. _ 

Fine Westerly wind 

Ditto. 

Cloudy. 

Ditto. 



JonA of Frim^ire, An. XI. of the Fn Rep. Nov, and Dec. 1802. 






^03^CiO-tpfi.C^K>i- 



■T)ay 
of the 
Month 






Day 

of the 
Moon. 



<l'^-^-vF->J 00 00'00"V|'^^ 00 OOOOOO-vl-vJ 00 00^-<» 00-vj-v("v}^ 00^-v|"-vl 

0^^OOOOO^^<OH-Ki^0K>t-Oi-'>-'OH-'h-o Oo "<} ^ O i— O "<» 



S = c 



»0000-^^^C»0000^^-^OOGOOOGOCC'^0000'Vj^OO-v5-^~vJ-<{Oo-v^^->s» 

OtOOH-OOOO^^C»0^-'^O^OOOl-'^0»-0^-000-<fOoO^— o*^ 

;TOOt^QP>-^OOO4^'^^'^T'^^C»000^OO0e)C>OOO>0tQPOOG>- 



z 



o ^D ^0 ^^ ^D *o ^D io 6D io <o ^o ^o <o <o <o <-o ^D Kj 60 fo 6i (O <o ^o fO to Ki ^o '.o 

)00000*v|^~^OOC»'M"^^J'<100000000-^(X>!:/500-*^0000-vj^*v|-v}00^^! 






■^ Ci 1^ Ot -<I ai Cn trt 

ID ^1 0> 00 "vT ;o CO C 



Ox ^ K) 00 fO *0 "^ "^ O O CC 
O ^0 »ti> 00 00 O O^ O-, Or 4^ O 



Crt 00 O-t O-i 0^-<{ t— 
Oi OD ^ Oi 00 O^ 00 



^ O O.O 
0> C-. ^7 00 



a 


Qs ^ti. Ut "VI C^J trt O^ 


CA ^ 


3 


00 ^ 00 -<t -<| 


o 


O^ 


Ox 


00 


Ot 


Ox O) O^ O 


oo 


^ 


O 


1— ' 


D 


l—i 


^o 03 


txl 


^ o o 


o 


■^ 


o 


*- 


o 


o^ 


o 


o 


^ 


05 


k_ 


CO 


03 


o 


o 


CO -v7 


1— 1 


00 


Ox 


o 


c 


D^CO^VO^ O 00^ 


^ 


02 


Ki 


1— ' 

OS 


^ 


^ 


h-i 


iO 


^ 


»— 


o 


H- 


^ 


o 


h- 1 


1— ' 


iO^ 


1— ' 


fO 


^ 


:> 


00 


o ^o 


Oc 


e o^ 


<^,o 


4-^ 


h€> 


o 


•i:- 


o 


<o 


Or. 


o 


o 


o 


O Ox O 


^D 


o 


OO 


O'^ 


00 




^VO O 


^ 


O iO to 


w 


iO 


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Month of Nivose, An. Xl. of tlie Fr. Rep. Dec. 1809, & Jan. 1803, 





Day 
of the 
Month, 




Day 
of the 
M«'on. 


OS*^aiO>*^C-Ki»-0 C^C»^C%Cj»4;^C0^D»-'O^ 


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in ilie 

Morning 


/^C. /C *S ^O /C /C 1^ (Cj iZ, «J KJ t>J to t<j to to to to to to to to to to to to to \ 

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THERMOMETER. 

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Morning. Noon. Evening. 


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Morning. 


Cloudy. 

Do. Southerly wind. 
Ditto. 
Fine. 
Cloudy. 
Ditto. 
Ditto. 
Fine. 
Cloudy. 
Ditto. 
Rain. 
Cloudy, 

Do. strong E. wind. 
Heavy Rain. 
Fine. 
Ditto. 
Cloudy. 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Ditto 
Ditto 

Ruin thro't. the dav. 
Ditto. 
Ditto. 
Fine. 

HcavvUaiu. 
iDilto! 
'Ditto. 
ICloudy, 


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fi 
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5' 


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CLIMATE OF NICE. 131 

SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS ON THE CLIMATE 
OF NICE. 

April begins the 12th Germinal, and ter- 
minates the 11th Flor^al, inclusive, having 30 
days. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 
S8..7..8,on the 22nd day of the month, at noon. 

The greatest depression was 27-9.. 1, on the 
Ifth day of the month, in the morning. 

The mean height is 28..2..4f. the difference is 

10..7. 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
21 on the 25th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression 5, .6, on the Uth day of 
the month, in the morning. The difference is 
15..4. 

The temperature of this month was mild and 
dry. There was no fog. 

The 6th, 12th, l6th, 17th, I8th, 24tb, days, 
were rainy, but the showers were gentle and 
favorable to vegetation. It tvas perfectly fine 

K 2 



1.32 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

on the Jst, ^tb, 7th, Sth, lath, 19th, 20th, 
2l&t, '27ih, 28th, 29th, and 30th days: the 10th, 
14th, 22nd, and 24th, were cloudy: the 3rd, 
4th, 9th, 12th, ISth, ISth, 23rd, 2oth, and 26th, 
were changeable^ but mild: the 2nd and 11th 
were very windy- 
May begins the 12th Floreal, and terminates 
the 12th Prairial, having 31 days. 

The greatest elevation of the Barometer was 
28..3..0 on the 10th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 27..7..2 on the 
14th day of the month, in the evening. 

The mean height is 27..11..1, the difference is 
5..10. 

Tile greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
20..5 on the Sth day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 7. .8 on the 15th 
day of the month, in the evening. The difference 
is 12..7. 

The temperature of this month was mild and dry. 
It rained on the ISth, 14th, 16th, and 29th days: 
the 12th it was stormy: the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 
Sth, 9th, lOth, 11th, iGth, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th^ 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 133 

gist, 22nd, 23rd, 27th, 30th, and 31st, were very 
fine days: the 25th, 26th, and 28th, were 
cloudy : the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 12th, were changeable: 
the 4th the wind was high. The same wind pre- 
vailed during the month. 

June begins the 13th of Prairial, and termi- 
nates the 12th of Messidor, having 30 days. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 
gB.,3..2 on the 19th day of the month, in the 
morning. Its greatest depression was 27..10..0 
on the 28th day of the month, at noon. 

The mean height is ^8..0.,7. The difference 
k 3..2, : V " 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
23..0,on the 19th, 21st5 and 27th, at noon. 
. Its greatest depression was 14 on the 8th day of 
the month, in the morning. The difference is 9. 
The Gthj 7th, and 26th, days were rainy : the 9th, 
10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, l6th, i8th, 
19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, and 29th, were serene and 
fine: the 1st, 2nd, Srd, 6th, 17th, 24th, 25th, 
27th, and 30th, were cloudy : the 4th, 8th, and 
22nd, were changeable: the 22nd there was a 



134 CLIMATE OF NICE. 

Storm: the 6th it blew hard: the 28th it blew 
strong from the south. The prevailing winds 
were from the east and west. 

July begins the 13th of Messidor, and termi- 
nates the 13thofThermidor, having 31 days. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer vVas 
28..3 on the 24th day of the month,, in the 
evening. 

Its greyest depression was 27..0..3, on the 
31st day of the month, in the evening. 
The mean height is 27* .9..0. The difference is 1 . 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
24..0 on the 6th and 20th, at noon. 

The greatest depression was 14..0 on the 
14th day of the month, at noon and in the 
evening. The differeiiceis 10* 

The 11th and 14th were rainy, and thunder 
was heard on both these days towards the north : 
the 6th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, JOth, 12th, 15th, l6th, 
17th, ISth, ^Oth, 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 
28th, 29th, and 31st, were fine: the 13th, lf)tli> 
22nd, 26th, ^nd 27th, were cloudy: the Ist^ 
2nd, 3rd, ^th, ^nd 30th, were changeable, 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 135 

The prevailing wind was from the east. 

August begins the 14th of Thermiclor, and 

terminates the 14th of Fructidor, having 31 days. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 

28. .3. ,2 on the 27th day of the month, in the 

evening, 

Its greatest depression was 28.. 0.. 5 on the 
16th day of the month, in the morning and at 
poon. 

The difference is 0..2..7. 
The mean height is 28..1,.9f. 
The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
27 on the 17th day of the month, at noon» 

Its greatest depression was 17, on the 26th, 
29th^ and 31st, days of th^ month, in the morn- 
ing. The difference is 10.. Q. 

Rain fell on the 27th day of this month only. 
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 
10th, nth, 12th, 13tb, 14th, 15th, i6th, 17th, 
18th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, 28th, 29th, 30th, and 
31st, days were fine : the 24th and 26th were 
changeable: the 2oth it blew a strong 
easterly wind. 



136 CLIMATE bF NICE, 

September begins the 1,5th of Fructidor, and 
terminates on the 8th of Vendemiaire. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 
28,.3..9, on the 24th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 27.-9 on the 10th 
day of the month, in the morning. The differ-^ 
enceis 0.,4..9, 

The mean height is ^S.,O.Ai. 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
^6. .6 on the 7th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 12.. 5 on the 8th 
day of the month, in the morning. The differ* 
once is 13..0, 

No rain fell during this month. The 1st, 2nd, 
3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 
22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 
and 30th, days were fine : the 8th, 9th, 10th, 1 1th, 
12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and l6th, were fine and 
changeable : the 19th, the wind blew strong from 
the south east. 

October begins the 9th of Vendemiaire, and 
terminates the 9th of Brumaire, having 34 
days. 



CLIMATE OP NICE. 137 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 
fS.Jonthe 17th of the month, in the morning. 

Its greatest depression \Vas 27..1m3 on the 
1 5th day of the month, in the evening. The dif- 
ference is 1..5.,9. 

The mean height is 27..10..1 . 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
22, on the third day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 8, on the 31st day 
of the month, at noon and in the evening. The 
difference is 14. 

The 12th, 14th, I5th, l6th, 17th, 18th, 20th, 
22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, and 
30th, days were rainy: the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 
6th, 7th, and 12th, were fine: the Sth, 9th, lOthy 
11th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, ISth, 19th, 2M, 
and 23rd, to the 31st, were cloudy and 
changeable: the 27th and 31st it hailed; the 
13th and 21st there were storms: the 30th it 
thundered, and there w^as a severe storm: the 
10th and 24th a strong impetuous easterly 
wind: the I7th a northerly wind: the 18th> 
g4th,and 25th. 



I3S CLIMATE OF NJCE. 

November begins the 10th of Brumaire, and 
terminates the 9th of Frimaire, having 30 
days. 

The greatest elevation of the barometer was 
^8.. 5 on the 19th day of the month, at noon and 
In the evening. 

Its greatest diBpression was 27.. 1 ,.2 on the 10th 
day of the month, in the evening. The differ- 
ence is 1..3.J0. 

The mean height is 27. .9..1. 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
19, on the 6th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 5, on the 29th and 
30th days of the month, in the morning. The 
difference is 14. 

The 1st, 8th, 9th, 13th, Uth, l6th, 17th, 20th, 
21st, 22nd, 25th, 26th, 27th, and 30th, days were 
rainy; the 17th deluges of rain : on the above 
mentioned days of the month, there fell a great 
deal of rain, much more than commonly falls at 
this or any other season of the year. The 3rd, 4th, 
6th, nth, 12th, 14th, 18th, 19th, 2jth,. 28th, 
and 29th, days were fine: the 2nd and )Oth were 



CLIMATE OF NICE. 13^ 

cloudy: the 5th, 7th, 10th, and 23rd, were 
changeable : the 17th and 2oth it hailed, but 
no harm was done to vegetation: the 26th it 
thundered: the 21st it blew strong from the 
south. 

December begins the 10th of Frimaire, and 
terminates the 10th Nivose, having 31 days. 

The greatest elevation of the barotneter was 
28. .2. .9 on the morning of the 9th day of the 
month, and in the evening of the Sth. 

Its greatest depression was 27-. 1. .'5 on the 20th 
day of the month, in the morning. The differ- 
ence is 1..1..4. 

The mean height is 27..3..1. 

The greatest elevation of the thermometer was 
16 on the 1 1th day of the month, at noon. 

Its greatest depression was 3 on the 27th day^ 
of the month, in the morning. The difference is 13. 

The Ist, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8ih, 23rd, 28th, and 
30th, it rained very much: the 2nd, 12th, 13th, 
Uth, 19th, 20th, 21st, 29th, were fine: the 5th, 
6th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 24th 25th, and 
31st, were cloudy; the 10th. 17th, 26th, and 27th, 



140 ' CLJ MATJE OF NICE. 

were changeable : the 26th there was a storm : 

the 1 1th and 23rcl a violent southerly wind. 

During these nine months I find the greatest 

degree of heat was in August and Septeniber, 

which nnonths were much the warmest of the 

Tear. The mercury rose in August to 27, - 

above the point of congelation ; but I ought to 

observe the situation of the thermometer was not 

the most favorable, and I think the 27 may be 

* 

reduced to 53. The thermometer was Reaumur's, 

and the observatory was i&eventeen feet above the 

level of the sea. 

Three months only of observations were made 
whilst I resided at Nice. 

The account of the state of the weather 
durinor the above mentioned time commences on 
the 12th of Germinal, and ends on the 12th of 
Nivose, though the tables begin on the 1st of the 
former month, and terminate on the 30th of the 
latter. It may be necessary to inform the reader, 
that I have employed the Republican Calendar, 
in order to accommodate the person who assisted 
me in making my observations. 
I 



TOCOGRAPHY OF VILLA'TRANCA. Ul 

SECTION VIT. 

TOPOGRAPHY OF VILLA-FRANCA, NOW CALLED 
ViLLE-FKANCHE, AND ITS ENVIRONS. 

From Nice to Ville-franche the distance is a 
league. As the road is bad it is preferable, in 
calm weather, to go by water. The passage is 
made in half an hour. In the way thither the 
^ye is fatigued with the conthiued glare of rocks^ 
bleached and worn by the waves. The harbour 
is spacious, deep, and of «afe anchorage. It is 
oryly exposed to southerly w^inds; to the west it 
is sheitei'ed by Mont-Alban, to the north by very 
high mountains, and to the east by a neck of 
land covered with beautiful olive, and every 
kind of fruit trees. At the entrance of th« 
harbour there is a light-house defended by the 
cross fire of formidable batteries. Emanuel Phili- 
bert, Duke of Savoy, ordered the fort to be built, 
which commands the port that is situated below 
jtj and is about three hundred yards from the 



142 TOPOGRAPHY OF VILLA-FRANGA. 

town. The King of Sardinia lately kept two 
frigates here to protect the commerce of Nice 
against the pirates who infested this coast. There 
is also a prison where the galley slaves are 
confined. 

The town contains about two thousand inha- 
bitants. It is situated at the bottom of the 
harbour, and is built in the form of an amphi- 
theatre. No place on the coast of Provence or 
Italy enjoys milder winters. The climate in 
general is said to be as mild as that of Naples, 
which is much farther to the south. It is even 
supposed that the anana would grow here if pains 
were taken to cultivate it; The Olivula of the 
ancients was situated on the extremity of the 
peninsula. It existed until the end of the 
thirteenth century. At that period the incursions 
of the pirates forced the inhabitants to take refuge 
at A^illa-franca, which had just been founded by 
Charles II. Count of Province and King of 
Naples. 

To go from hence to Monaco or Menton by 
sea, which is the most agreeable way, the 



TOPOGRAPHY OF VILLA-FRANC A. 143 

traveller must embark at Beau-lieu. Along the 
beach are several caverns, which bring the fabled 
grottos of the Nereides to recollection. To travel 
by land it is necessary to depart from Viila-franca, 
by which the road from Nice to Menton passes. 
In consequence of orders given in 1S02 this road 
is to be altered. It was once in contemplation 
to follow the Aureliaii road, which led from Rome 
to Empurias, in Catalonia. This road passed 
alons: the declivity of the north side of the 
mountain from Cimiez to Turbia : the new road 
is to pass by the declivity of the south side, 
and afterwards over the summit of the mountain, 
as far as Ez^. The neck of land already mention- 
ed, which forms a peninsula to the east of Villa* 
franca, is a delightful spot, and is very properly 
called Beau-lieu. Its southern extremity, where 
it stretches a little towards the east, is defended 
by a tower. There was formerly a fort here, 
demolished by Catinat. 

This point is considered famous in the coun- 
try for the virtues of the hermit railed Hospiti- 
us, who predicted the invasion cf the Lombards- 



144 TOPOGRAPHY OF VILtA-t^RANCA* 

He died towards the end of the fifth century^ 
and the place now bears his name. It forms a 
creek, where tunny is caught. 

In order to protect Villa-franca, the Duke of 
SaVoy had a citadel constructed on a rock com- 
manding the sea. The precipice was so rough 
that both iron and fire were required to destroy its 
irregularities. He planted many pieces of artillery 
there, and appointed a governor. Fort-Alban, of 
which we have already spoken, also contributed to 
the defence of the town. The subsequent Dukes 
of Savoy made a free port of Villa-franca, for 
general advantage, in commemoration of which 
the inhabitants of Nice erected a monument with 
this inscription : 

^' Magno Carolo Sabaudiae Duel, 

Et Victori Amedeo iuvictlssimo filio. 

Quod immensa Regalium animorum amplitudine^ 

Non suos tantum populos, 

Sed universum terrariim orbem complexi nationes omnes, 

Gratuita portuosi littoris immunitale 

Magnis aucta commodis recipi voluerint, 

Etemuni graii aninii monimentum 

Ab omnibus ubiquc populis debitura 

^Jicaca fidelis collocavit." 



I'OPOGRAPHY OF VILLA-FRANCA. 145 

It was at Villa-franca that I Ion ore d'Urfe died, 
who was formerly so celebrated, and whose me- 
mory is now almost buried in oblivion. He ren- 
dered the banks of the Lignon * famous, and his 
passionate love for Diana of Chateau-Morand, 
gave origin to the romance of Astrce. It is well 
known that his attachment was succeeded by the 
coldest indifference, to say the least of it. when 
Diana became his wife. He quitted her, and retired 
to the Court of Charles Emanuel, to whom he^vas 
related on his mother's side, who was daughter of 
Claudius of Savoy, Count of Tenda, aqd Governor 
of Provence. He sometimes travelled in the 
states of Emanuel, and was at Nice when he was 
taken ill. He went afterwards to Yiila-franca, 
where he died in 1625. Besides the romance of 
Astrce^ which was finished by Baro, his secretary, 
he wrote several other works. Among the rest is 
a poem in stanzas, the subject of which is the de- 
parture, absence, and return of AV^/?^, that is the 

* A small river that has its source in the ci-devant county oi 
Aviv^rgne, disebarging Itself into the Loire. 



146" TOPOGHAPHY of MONACO. 

author himself, who under that name sunghb 
amours with Diana, 



SECTION VIIL 

TOPOGRAPHY OF MO:t^ACO. 

At a few miles from Turbia Monaco is seen. 
It is situated on a rock joined to the continent by 
a neck of land, ^\ hich gives it the appearance of a 
peniiisula. The descent from Turbia to Monaco 
is so steep as to be dangerous^ even for foot pas- 
sengers. Virgil alluding to this rock says in the 
Mneid : 

** Aggeribus socer alpinis, atque arce Monaeci 
Descendens.** 

Caesar, father-in-law of Pompey, descended from 
the Alps and rock of Monaco to attack his son-in- 
law. Lucan, in his Pharsalia, makes the legions 
of Caesar pass by Monaco, when ordered, at the 
commencement of the civil war, to march to 
the banks of the Rubicon. There was formerly 
a temple dedicated to Hercules, from which 



TOPOGRAPHY OF MONACO, 147 

it has been concluded he must have passed 
that way in the course of his travels. All fables 
are not pure fictions. It is certain there were se- 
veral Hercules. Cicero, in his treaty " de Na- 
tura Deorum'^ reckons six, and if we can believe 
Varro, there were forty-four warriors to whom an- 
tiquity gav'C the same name. It is very probable 
that one of them, named INIonoecus, or the solitary, 
passed from Greece into Italy^ France, and Spain, 
not as iEschylus represents it in his tragedies, to 
fight the Ligurians with the flint stones which Ju- 
piter rained for that purpose, nor to separate 
Mount Calpe from Abyla, in order to join the Me- 
diterranean to the ocean, but for some other pur- 
pose with which we are unacquainted. At a 
time when boats, like the American canoes, were 
employed for the purposes of navigation, this Her- 
cules might have been forced by a storm to take 
shelter under the rock of ^Monaco, and perhaps 
may have erected a monument in testimony of his 
gratitude to the gods. 

Ammianus Marceliinus says the inhabitants 
themselves consecrated a temple to the Theban 



14S TOPOGRAPHY OF MONACO. 

Hercules. If this be true, it would be difficult to 
account for the rock being called by the name of 
Hercules IMonoecus. 

Lucian, who resided some time in Gaul, 
where he exercised the profession of an orator, 
says, that the painters of that country re- 
presented Hercules with a long white beard, a 
bald head, and a tawny wrinkled skin, which gave 
him the appearance of an old sailor, or rather of 
Charon himself. In short, he had nothing of Her- 
cules but the lion's skin, the club, and the bow 
and quiver. "At first," adds Lucian, "Hmaginc 
they represented him thus, in order to ridicule the 
Greeks, or to revenge the incursions he made in- 
to their <:ountry on his way to Spain ; but when I 
saw a multitude of people tied by the ear with a 
number of little golden strings to the tongue of the 
figure, I requested one of the learned men of the 
country to explain the enigma. He replied, We 
do not believe with the Greeks that Mercury is the 
^od of eloquence, but w^b think it is Hercules, who 
is nuich more pow^erful. We think he has at- 
chiovcd a'l that attracts our admiriition, not by the 



XOPOGRAPHY OF MOXACO. 14-9 

ft>rce of his arms, but by that of his eloquence. 
We therefore represent him by an old man. be- 
cause reason does not arrive at perfection till 
that period of Hfe. The tongue by which the 
people are held is the instrument of their captivity, 
and their being tied to him by the ear is ernblema- 
tic of his reason. The darts represent its force, 
and are feathered because it is supposed to have 
wings. " 

The rock itself has undergone no changes for 
many ages, although it is constantly washed by 
mountainous waves. The dreadful tempest of 
1773 is still spoken of at Monaco with horror. It 
was supposed to be the consequence of an earth- 
quake. 

The Marine of Monaco consisted of about 
twenty small barks, which belonged to the inha- 
bitants, who employed them to export oils and le- 
mons to Nice and Marseilles. There is reason 
to suppose the population formerly occupied 
the grounds where the enclosure and gardens of 
Conda^iine now are. 

The ruins of ancient buildings are sometimes 



1^0 TOPOGEAPHY OF IviONACO- 

found, which renders the supposition more pro- 
bable. All this coast was cruelly ravagecl by 
the Lombards and Saracens. 

This little principality has been in the pos- 
session of the house of Grimaldi since the tenth 
century. They held it till 171^, under the 
protection of Spain, afterwards under that of 
France, which kept always from five to six hun- 
dred men in garrison at Monaco. That year the 
heiress of the house of Grimaldi having married, 
it passed to the house of Matignon, who held it 
till the revolution. The inhabitants had nothing 
to complain of, yet this did not prevent the revo- 
lutionary spirit which reigned in France from 
reaching them. 

They formed a convention, which was engaged 
in drawing up a constitution to render them happy, 
and to establish a republic next in rank to that of 
St. Marino, when one morning some troops arrived 
from Nice, planted the tree of liberty, made them 
vote their union to the department of the Mari- 
time Alps, and thus ended the opera tiom of the 
convention of Monaco, 



DESCRIPTIOX OF TURBIA. 151 

Tlie late principality was composed of three 
communes, which contained about five thousand 
inhabitants. The revenue of the prince was 
considerable, and arose from the duties of the 
ports of Menton and I\Ionaco. This however 
did not form the whole of his revenue. The 
prince when he was in the country resided in a 
castle near i!^Ienton> which from the beauty of 
its situation recalls to mind the fabled gardens of 
the Hesperides. It is now the property of a 
citizen of Menton, who knows as little of the 
Hesperides as of their golden apples. 



SECTION IX. 

DESCRIPTION OF TURBIA, A MONUMENT ERECTED 
BY ORDER OF AUGUSTUS. TO TR.VNSMIT TO 
POSTERITY THE NAxMES OF THE INHABITANTS 
OF THE MARITIME ,ALPS, >VHOiM HE HAD 
SUBDUED. 

Here are seen the ruins of the monument 
erected by Augustus, to transmit to posterity the 
1 



159 DESCRIPTION OF TURBIA. 

names of the inhabitants of the Maritime Alps, 
whom he had subjugated. The efforts must 
have been astonishing that this work required. In 
the first place, the Romans must have levelled a large 
piece of rocky land to make an area of an bun-- 
dred and fifty feet square. But this was the 
least of the difficulties, for they had afterwards 
to bring from a considerable distance a great 
quantity of stones of enormous weight to lay the 
foundation. The edifice is composed of four 
concentric circles, and the walls included by them 
are so solidly built that antiquarians suppose 
they have been cemented with the mortar called 
pozzolana.* There is also the base of a pillar of 
a square form built with the same care. In the 
middle of the building is around tower, terminat-^ 
ing in battlements. This circumstance has made 
some authors think it is of modern date; but as 

* The Pozaolana takes its name from a volcanic sand found 
near Naples. It is also to be 'met with in some parts of the 
department of the Var, particularly on the coast between 
Antibes and Toulon. The persons who are employed to 
obtain it, are obliged to dig deep, in order to get at the layers^ 
that have not been exposed to the air or water. 



DESCRIPTION OF TUREIA. 155 

the workmanship is exactly of the same kind as 
the rest of the monument, it is impossible it can 
be less ancient. The battlements perhaps may 
have been added in latter times as an ornament. 

It is said there was a statue of Augustus on 
the top of the tower, which was raised up on the 
west side by means of twp stairs supported by 
columns of the doric order, and that on the north 
and south sides there were trophies resembling 
those of Marius at Rome. If this was the case, 
the names of the people that inhabited the 
mountains which extend from the sources of the 
Adige to the bishoprick of Trent, to the Durance 
and the Var, must have been engraved on the 
west side. The name of the Triumpilini is still 
seen on a stone which forms the archwav of a 
gate belonging to a house at Turbia. 

Three parts of the tower are now destroyed, 
and the remains have suffered so much, that it is 
necessary to consult the authors who have spoken 
of it, or the people of the country, in order to as- 
certain its dimensions. It still gives in its ruinous 
state a good idea of that govercign people, who 



154 DESGRIPTION OF TURBIA. 

deemed only to work for posterity, or with the 
intention of overawing the nations they conquered. 
They undoubtedly had some interested view in 
fixing on that spot for erecting a trophy. The 
armies that the Romans sent by Liguria into 
France and Spain went that way ; hence it is not 
surprising they should erect at this place a splen- 
<lid and permanent monument, to commemorate 
the conquest of these savage tribes, and their 
submission to the dominion of the Romans. 

The trophy must have been destroyed when 
the Lombards invaded the country. The inha- 
bitants in their barbarous fyry made use of 
the materials to form an enclosure, which served 
them as a kind of fortified camp. With these 
same materials they built their houses wheA 
tranquillity was restored to the country. Inscrip- 
tions are still seen on several of the houses of 
Turbia. The spot on which the stones were 
cut is about a mile to the west of the village, 
where there still are columns eight or ten feet 
high, and two or three feet in diameter, on which 
the scaffolding was supported. 



TbPOGRAPHY OF ESPEL. 155 

SECTION X- 

TOPOGRAPHY OF ESPEL, OR SOSPELLO. 

This town is named Hospitillo in the ancient 
maps, though the modern have entitled it 
Lespitilum, or Souspetelum. It was probably so 
denominated from some inn built for the con- 
venience of strangers. In succeeding ages the 
proprietors of the neighbouring casdes having 
established themselves there, built ^ a town 
honored by the name of Urbs ; it is about fifteen 
miles to the north of Nice, and is divided into 
two parts by a small stream. 

This river has a stone bridge, and often inun- 
dates the country in its vicinity. The town, 
surrounded by mountains and fertile meadows^ 
terminates in a plain: it contains churches, 
monasteries, and one or two castles, toler- 
ably well built. The public places are adorn- 
ed with fountains, where there are abundant 
and good springs of water ; there is like- 
wise a venerable cathedral, near which is the 



lo(5 TOPOGRAPHY OF SAORGIO. 

bishop's palace. The town has been long the 
capital of a county, and the principal resi- 
dence of the counts of Vintimiglia. There was 
a judge, and an appeal to the senate of 
Nice from his decision. The population, which 
amounted to four thousand persons, was enlighten- 
ed : many have distinguished themselves in thestudy 
of civil and canonical law, many in war. The 
country around produces all which is necessary 
for subsistence; corn, oil, wine, vegetables, and 
k great variety of fruits are to be met with in 
abundance. 



SECTION XL 

TOPOGRAPHY OF SAORGIO. 

This town is considerable by the number of its 
inhabitants; enterprizing and industrious, they pur- 
sue principally arms and commerce. It is situated 
on the summit of a rock enclosed by the Roia, a 
river which Lucan and Pliny have mentioned as 
forming a peninsula with theBendola. There are 



TO:?OGRAPHY OF SAORGIO. 15/ 

near four thousand inhabitants, whose industry 
fertilizes a sterile soil, so that there are some excel- 
lent meadow grounds, and an abundance of cattle, 
milk, and wool, the latter of which is exported to 
Piedmont. 

The Roia precipitates itself in cascades intp 
a frightful valley, where nothing is heard but the 
noise of its w^aters, and the cries of birds of prey. 
Near this is the road from Nice to Piedmont^ 
which Charles Emanuel T. ordered to be made 
two hundred years ago. The traveller cannot 
pass it without feeling a sentiment of horror, 
caused by the sight of huge masses of rock which 
overhang the road, several of which being sepa- 
rated by wide gaps from the mountains threaten 
him with immediate destruction. There were 
formerly two well merited inscriptions here, in 
honor of the princes who caused this road tQ 
be built. Although the monuments cannot be, 
suspected to be the offspring of flattery, they 
have not at times been respected, and a barba- 
rous hand has erased the most honorable of 
them. Opposite this defile is situated the fort of 



158 TOPOGRAPHY OP SAORGIO. 

Saorgio. It would be impossible to attack it frond 
this side. It may with much propriety be com- 
pared to the pass of Thermopylae, and the situa- 
tion of the French army to that of the Persians, 
who had not artillery to force their way* They 
were obliged to take another road. 

Opposite the Roia is a steep rock of free stone, 
almost inaccessible and isolated. On its summit 
is perceptible an ancient fortress, defended by 
three towers. It was esteemed by the ancients 
for commanding the course of the river which 
flows towards Nice. On another rock the ruins 
of a second fortress are yet visible. On the top of 
Saorgio was situated an impregnable fort, entitled 
St. George. Obliged to conform to the nature of 
the ground, its figure is irregular; on both sides 
there was a square tower joining one wall to the 
Other, built after the manner of the ancients : the 
fort was capable of containing two hundred 
soldiers. The high road is next perceptible, and 
so exposed that a handful of soldiers are sufficient 
to stop the progress of an enemy. The rivers of 
Roia and Bendola abound in fish. Theinvincible^ 



r 



TOPOGRAPHY OF SAORGIO. I5J 

Charles Emanuel III. who formed projects worthy 
the grandeur of his reputation and genius, caused 
fresh excavations to be made in the mountains, in 
order to construct another road along the river 
Roia, across rocks and precipices whiclj constitute 
a part of the Alps in this direction . After efforts of 
immense labour, after the construction of bridges, 
arcades, and walls, the traveller may now pass 
commodiously in this part of the Maritime Alps, 
This prince seems to have rivalled, if not surpassed, 
ky such grand and important enterprises, all that 
the Egyptian or Roman annals can boast. After 
the cornpletion of his project, the following in- 
scription was made to eternize the memory of hiia 
who caused it to be constructed. 

Publ. Cismont. Ac Cltramont. Ditionis Bono 

Ital. AcTotius Orbis Commodo 
iuyiis Utrinq. Alpium Maritim, Prsecipitiis 
Ferro, Flammaque Proecisis 
p. Par. Emanuel III. Sabaud. Dux XL P. P. P. P. 
Pace. Belluq. Feli(;iss. 
pFoprio Motu. Prop. Sumptu. Prop. Industria, 
0anc Viam Basil. 
Perfecit. 



160 TOPOGRAPHY OF DOtCE-AQUA. 

About a hundred yards from Saorgio is a tolei"- 
able inn, entitled Fontano, from the quantity of 
fountains springing from a neighbouring rock* 
There is likewise a church, entitled the Visitation* 
Saorgio has two parishes, one consecrated to the 
Holy Virgin, the other to St. Antony* There 
was likewise a convent and chapels. 



SECTION XIL 

TOPOGRAPHY OF DOLCE-AQUA. 

This town is situated in the part of the Mari- 
time Alps formerly called the county of Vinti- 
miglia, two miles from the sea of Genoa, and 
twenty from Nice. It is easy to suppose that it 
has received its name from the brooks and soft- 
ness of their waters. After passing two or three 
towns, this river separates the town of Dolce- 
Aqua from what is entitled the Bourg, The 
waters turn the wheels of the olive mills not only 
of the inhabitants of this place, but likewise of 
Campo-Rosso, Kalbonne, and other spots de- 



TOPOGRAPHY OF DOLCE-AQUA. 161 

pendent on the Genoese. The town is surrounded 
by a wall formed of the houses of the inhabitants, 
who are very numerous in consequence of the 
mildness of the climate, and the contiguity of 
the sea and mountains, which enrich and protect 
it from the inconveniences of winter. The terri- 
tory, moreover, produces what is necessary for th^ 
subsistence of the people, excellent wine, corn, figs, 
almonds, nuts, apples, lemons, oranges, and vege* 
tables of all kinds, and principally an abundance 
of excellent oil. On the other side of the river 
appears the superb edifice of the castle and 
fortress, the conquest of which must have been 
difficult, so much have art and nature contri- 
buted to its defence. On the north it is defend- 
ed by a steep and inaccessible rock, on the west 
by multiplied works dug in the rock. In the 
interior are some towers in the ancient style 
of architecture, and also a building protected ^y 
towers ; there are large courts, and many halls, 
chambers, and dining rooms. Almost all the 
iipartments are vaulted. 

This country has been the victim of war, 

M 



162 TOPOGRAPHY OF TEND A*' 

especially in the reign of Robert King of Naples, 
and Count of Provence, and during the reverses 
of Queen Joan, grand-daughter of Robert. The 
Genoese also besieged the town of Dolce-Aqua 
with an arniy of six thousand men; but they 
were obliged to raise the siege from the vigorous 
resistance of the Marquis of Entragues, a man 
distinguished by his valor and information, and 
from the circumstance of having received intelli- 
gence of the succours which the Marquis of St. 
Damien was bringing. The hourg however was 
destroyed by fire. 



SECTION XIII. 

TOPOGRAPHY OF TEND A. 

They who travel from Piedmont to Nice, after 
having descended the Col-de-Cornio, arrive at 
the town of Tenda, the capital of a county, once 
celebrated. It is situated on the declivity of a 
lofty mountain, on wjiose summit appear the ruins 
of an ancient castle. The other part of the town ia 



tOPOGHAPHY OF TENDA. 16S 

feituatedin a plain, embellished by many meadows, 
a large manufactory, and a convent. The principal 
church, dedicated to the Holy Virginj isbeautiful^ 
and so well ornamented with marble statues, that 
the piety of the Counts of Tenda becomes con- 
spicuous. Their tombs are here raised in marble, 
with their arms engraved upon them. 

Besides the ancient fortress on the top of the 
mountain, the counts have built another, which 
commands the whole town, and defends the high 
road. The Counts of Tenda formerly inhabited 
this castle, and possessed another domain beyond 
mount Cornio, where they went to reside after 
the Genoese drove them from Vintimiglia. The 
counts of Vintimiglia were related to the priu- 
cipal families of Italy, France, and Spain, have 
married their daughters with the Dukes of Genoa 
and Milan, and have chosen spouses from the 
families of Savoy, and the German emperors. 

The territory of Tenda is very productive, although 
surrounded on all sidesby the Alps. On the side next 
Nice are some agreeable valleys, which abound in 
vines, apple, chesnut', and various other fruit trees. 

M 2 



164 TOPOGRAPHY OF TENDA* ' 

The river produces trout, and the country is 
favorably situated for the importation of foreiga 
merchandize. 

BARCELONETTA. 

Barcelonetta, situated in the Maritime Alps 
and district of Embrun, vt^as founded in 1231 by 
Raymond Berenger, of the Arragon family, Count 
of Provence, who, in commemoration of his town 
of Barcelona in Catalonia, gave the same name 
to this. The inhabitants of Tencon were 
tempted, by the privileges and exemptions held 
out to them, to build and establish themselves 
there. The men are naturally industrious, and 
traffic in France, Italy, and the isles of Sardinia 
and Corsica, and in the most remote countries. 
The necessaries of life abound here, and the in- 
habitants of the town and valley have the repu- 
tation of being rich. There are several convents^ 
and the founder of the order of St. Trinity was 
born here. The political authority has been 
Exercised by the Princes of Savoy since the year 
1388. The deputies of the town and country- 
1 



GREAT MEN'. I6i 

assemble at Barcelonetta, and report to the general 
parliament of the country, and then to that of 
Nice, all that has been proposed and done. A 
captain, named by the prince, had the mihtary 
defence of the country ; a provost had the 
judicial department, who was generally a senator. 
There was an appeal from his decisions. 

War has considerably injured the prosperity of 
this town, particularly in 1591 and in 1628, but 
on account of the industry of the inhabitants, apd 
their attachment to their sovereigns, the DukeS 
of Savoy have ever had much predilection for the 
town, and honored its jurisdiction with the title 
of principality. 



SECTION XIV. 

GREAT MEn OF THE COUNTRY. 

This country has given birth to a number of 
celebrated men. Cassini, and the two Maraldis, 
his nephews, were natives of it. They all beloi^g* 
ed to Perinaldo. John Dominieus Cassini was 



166 GREAT MEN, 

the restorer of astronomy in France, as Galileo was 
that of Italy, and Copernicus of Germany. It 
may not be uninteresting to mention some circum-» 
stances of the hfe and works of this celebrated 
astronon^er, FJe was born in 1625, and after 
having finished his studies at Genoa, he devoted 
himself entirely to astronopiy, He had made 
such progress in this science, that he was chosen 
professor of it in the University of Bologna, before 
he was twenty-five years of age. During his 
residence in that town, be traced his famous 
Meridian. By means of this adn^irable ipven-. 
tion, the diurnal course of the sun could be 
observed, as he approached, or retired from, the 
zenith of the (own. He bestowed such unre-. 
initting attention on this subject, that a celebrated 
astronomier could not help exclaiming — he was, 
more than human. In consequeqce of the obser-. 
vations he made on this meridian, he published 
more correct tables of the sun, than any that had 
appeared before that time. He determined the 
parallax of that planet, established the theory of 
tfie comets, and discovered four of the fiv^ sateL 



GREAT MEN. l67 

lites of Saturn : in short, there was no branch of 
this sublime science, in which he was not pro- 
foundly skilled. His celestial occupations, how- 
ever, did not prevent him from attending to 
terrestrial objects. The inundations of the Po 
caused frequent disputes between the inhabitants 
of Bologna and Ferrara. He regulated them to 
the satisfaction of both towns, and was in conse- 
quence made by them superintendant of that 
river. 

Louis XIV. who was ambitious of every kind 
of glory, wished to draw Cassini into France, and 
accordingly ordered Colbert to write to him. 
Cassini replied to this invitation, that he could 
not accept the honor that was intended him, with^ 
out the consent of the Pope, and the Senate of 
Bologna. 

The king supposing he could not succeed on 
these terms, requested them to allow him to re- 
side a few years in France, which Was granted. 

Cassini arrived at Paris in 1669, and was re- 
ceived by Louis in the same manner that Sosigenesj 
when he was called to Rome to reform the Calen- 



16S GREAT MEN. 

dar of Numa, had been received by Caesar. Some 
years afterwards the Pope and Senate of Bologna 
demanded his return with considerable warmth : 
but Colbert disputed their authority with as much, 
and had the satisfaction of succeeding. Cassini 
married soon after, which was very agreeable to 
the king, who had the politeness to say to him, he 
was very happy to see him become a Frenchman 
for life. 

He predicted in presence of all the royal family 
the course of the famous comet of 1680. He had 
made a similar prediction at Rome in presence of 
Queen Christina, with respect ,to the comet of 
1664. Both of them followed the course he had 
traced. 

Towards the latter part of his life, he lost his 
sight. The same misfortune happened to the 
celebrated Galileo. This made Fontenelle say, 
in the true spirit of fable, that these great men, 
who had made so many celestial discoveries, re- 
sembled Tiresias, who became blind in conse- 
^juence of having seen some secret of the gods. 
}Ie died in 171*^, agod 87 years, without dis-- 



GREAT MEN. l69 

^se, without pain. Hi^ only infirmity was his 
loss of sight. His mind resembled his body. 
His temper was equal and mild, and never ruf- 
fled by those fretful irritations, which are the' 
most painful, and most incurable of diseases. 

There are still some families of his name in the 
country. In the church of Perinaldo there is a 
large picture, representing the souls in purgatory, 
of which he made a present to his country in 
1663. The date is on the lower part of it. He 
was nt that time professor at Bologna. 

The famous Theophilus Rainaud the Jesuit, 
was born at Sospeilo. He has written twenty 
folio volumes, which, no doubt, contain a deal of 
useless matter, but where however he has left 
many marks of his good understanding, genius, 
and profound erudition. 

Puget de Th^niers gave birth to M. Caissoti, 
wbo died thirty years ago, chancellor of Pied- 
mont. His merit alone raised him to that hi^h 
station. One of the greatest generals of France^ 
the spoilt child of victory; is a native of Levens. 

Carlo Fea, of Pigna, is commissajy of antiqui- 



170 GREAT MEN, 

ties at Rome, which is a proof of his merit, but 
what is a better one, is his work entitled " THis- 
toiye de TArt, de Winckelman.'' 

L'Abbe Barruchi, another celebrated antiqua- 
naDj keeper of the cabinet of antiquities at Turin, 
h from Briga. 

The Vanloos, excellent painters, of whom the 
younger brother was the ablest artist, are both 
from Nice. L^\bbe Alberti, well known as a 
Lexicographer, author of a' French and Italian 
dictionary, is also from that town. To this list 
of celebrated men, I shall add the name of 
L'Abb6 Papon, a man who does honour to his 
country. John Peter Papon was born at Puget 
de Theniers in 1734^. After his first studies, his 
friends sent him to Turin, to attend a course of 
philosophy. He afterwards studied oratory, and 
professed the Belles Lettres, and rhetoric, at Mar- 
seilles, Nantes, and Lyons. lie was in the last 
town, when the superiors of his congregation sent 
to treat with the minister of the King of Sardinia, 
concernino: an affair which interested them much, 
and which he arranged to their satisfaction. On 



GREAT MEN. 171 

his return from this mission, the library of Mar- 
seilles was put under his care. Having then lei- 
sure time, he began his history of Provence, which 
is one of the best works of the kind. He 
undertook a journey to Italy, in order to consult 
the Archives of the kingdom of Naples, which the 
Counts of Provence formerly possessed, on sub- 
jects relative to that history. When he returned, 
he went to Paris, where he made a number of 
friends, among people of the first rank. In 
order to cultivate their acquaintance, and have 
more time for his literary pursuits, he quilted 
oratory, much regretted by all who studied that 
science. 

The Revolution deprived him of the fruit of his 
labors, and the favors he enjoyed under the an- 
cient government. He supported these losses 
with philosophy, or rather indifference, preferring 
retirement and tranquillity to every thing else ; 
he went to pass a few years in the department of 
the Puy'de-DSme^ and did not return till order 
was restored in Paris. He was employed m 
finishing his history of the Revolution, which 



57^ GREAT MEN. 

contains the transactions of the 9th of October, 
when he was attacked on the loth of January with 
an apoplectic fit, which suddenly carried him off. 
His understanding was cultivated, his character^ 
which was open and loyal, was strongly expressed 
in his physiognomy and conduct. His gaiety, 
his obliging and polished manners, and a pecu- 
liarly agreeable way of expressing himself, made 
his society courted by all who knew him: his 
death was consequently much regretted. Besides 
the history of Provence, and the manuscript his- 
tory of the Revolution, he wrote the following 
works. An excellent treatise on Rhetoric, entitled, 
'' FArt du Poele ei de VOrateiir,"' <di\s\i\c\\ there 
have been five editions. " Vn Voyage deProveuce^^^ 
followed by some letters on the Troubadours. A 
history of the Plague from the earliest period, in 
the days of Pericles and Hippocrates, down to 
that of Marseilles. A history of the French Go- 
vernment, during the Assembly of the Notables, 
to the end of the year 1787. This work was 
anonymous: in it he predicted the greatest part of 
the events which have occurred since. Lastly, 



GREAT MEN. 175 

bis Method for acquiring easily the Greek Laa- 
giiage, and some other less interesting works. 

John Baptist Cotta, of the Order of St. iViigus- 
tin, distinguished himself by his talent for poetry. 
Passeroni, hkewise, was not without reputation. 
It is worth remark, these persons both embraced 
the ecclesiastic state. 

Alexander Victor Anthony Papacino, born of an 
illustrious, but impoverished family, from the rank 
of a private soldier, attained the highest honors in 
the militarv career. Indefatisfable in his studies, 
and justifying by his successes the splendour of his 
theories, he was revered by those that surrounded 
him ; naturally independent, and grand, his cha- 
racter had much of the disjnitv, and somethino- of 
the hardihood, of antiquity. His numerous works, 
all relating to the profession he embraced, have 
been translated into most tongues; but, if amidst 
so many admirable treatises, it were necessary to 
distinguish any, the examination of gunpowder, 
is perhaps, the most original, and most cuiious. 

Peter Jofredi, who was born at Nice, in 1628, 
and died at Turin, the 11th of November, 1699, 



174 GnEAt MlE^% 

was celebrated for his extensive knovvltdge, partl^ 
cularly in history. Charles Emanuel II. made him 
his librarian, historian, almoner, and then tutor to 
the Prince of Piedmont. After the Duke's death, 
he was presented with the cross of St. Maurice 
and Lazarus. When Victor Amadaeus 11. came 
to the throne, he augmented the employments, 
and importance of Jofredi. He deserved them 
not only on account of his great learning, but also 
for his virtues and probity. He wrote " Nicaea 
Civitas," the greater part of the articles of the 
" TheatrumStatuumPedemontium,'' " Storiadelle 
Alpi Maritime," in two manuscript volumes. The 
latter work was deposited in the library of the 
King of Sardinia, at Turin. 

Paul Lascaris was born in 1560, at Nice. His 
family traces its genealogy from the emperors of 
the East. His virtues and merits rendered him 
worthy of being chosen Grand Master of the 
Order of Malta. As soon as he arrived at that 
dignity, he set about arming the inhabitants of 
the island, to resist the invasions of the Turks 
and pirates, and for their defence, caused 



HISTORY' or NICE. 17^ 

the fort of St. Agatha to be built. He en- 
liched Malta with a noble library, and obliged 
the relations of deceased chevaliers to send the 
books there of every departed knight. He added, 
to the possessions of his order, the island of St* 
Christophers in America, with the adjacent islands 
of St. Bartholomew^ and St. Martin. I^scaris 
rendered important services to religion, of which 
he was one of the great champions during twenty 
years. 

These, and many other illustrious men, were 
the bright ornaments of the country of which I 
have given a description. 



SECTION XY. 

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL OF THE TRIBES, 
THAT ORIGINALLY INHABITED THE MARITIME 
ALPS AND THE ADJACENT COUNTRY, THAT SO 
LONG RESISTED THE ROMAN ARMS ; BUT WHOM 
FULVTUS DEFEATED, AND AUGUSTUS AT LENGTH 
ENTIRELY SUBDUED. 

To furnish the inquisitive reader with satisfac- 
tory information concerning the memorable events 



176 HISTORY OF NICE. 

of this country, I purpose offering a concise ac- 
count of the warhke tribes that made so valiant 
a resistance to the Romans, at the period of their 
earhest incursions into Gaul ; before I trace the 
foundation, rise, celebrity, and vicissitudes of the 
principal Phocaean colonies on this side the Alps. 
Pliny has preserved a multitude of names, in 
the relation he has transmitted us of the trophies 
of Augustus. The general appellation of" Ligures 
Capiliati,^^ comprehended these nations, though 
according to the traditions of other respectable 
authorities, there are yet some, whom he has 
passed over in unmerited disregard. The most 
remarkable were the ' 



Adunicates. 


Eguituri, 


Oxybii. 


Ectini. 


Velauni. 


Suetri. 


Nerusi. 


Beritini. 


Deciata?. 


Trivillati. 


Vediantii. 


Veamini. 


Oratelli. 


Gallitae. 


Nementuri. 


Esubiani. 


Edenalesi, 





HISTORY OF NICE. 177 

These nations were at a later period divided into 
five districts, that of Grasse, which contained the 
Adunicates, the Oxybii, and the Velauni, who 
occupied the part of the country between Cannes 
and Antibes. 

That of Vence, comprehending the Nerusi and 
the Deciatae, nations inhabiting the contiguous 
country as far as the mouth of the Var. 

That of Nice, in which resided the Vediantii, 
proprietors of nearly the whole left bank of the 
Var, as far as the Vesubia; the Orateili, v^ho 
occupied the country, west of the Vesubia ; the 
Nementuri, who inhabited the territory on the left 
bank of the Tinea, the Eguituri co-occupants 
with that people, in the same geographical direc- 
tion ; the Ectini, masters of the right bank of the 
Tinea ; and the Suetri, who overran the plains of 
the Esteron* 

The district of Glandeves, where the Beritini 
possessed the country of Penne ; ihe Trivillati, 
that of Peyresc, and the Veamini, that of Torame. 
These three nations were situated on the right 
bank of the Var, 

K 



I7S HISTOEY OF NICE. 

The district of Senez included within its boun- 
daries the Gallit^, the Esubiaoi, and the Edeiiates. 

The writers who have recorded the existence of 
these peopJe, assure us, that they were little betteir 
than tribes^ of wandering barbarians spread over 
the motiotains of Vence, Nice, Glandeves, and 
Senez, They, conjointly with the Salii, and the: 
Vagienni, who inhabited the summit of the valiies 
of Sturaand Grana, made so long and successful 
a resistance to the Roman forces, that they fre- 
quently repelled those invaders, and disdained 
their yoke, until the victorious arms of Augustus 
entirely discomfited them 13 years before Christ, 
and blended all these various countries in the 
establishment of a Roman Province. Monuments 
were erected in commemoratioii of the victories of 
Augustus at Turbia, and at Suza. It was in the 
reign of this emperor, that public roads were first 
hewn across almost inaccessible mountains, that 
highways were established, and the country mea- 
sured by large stones, placed at a mile's distance 
from each other. 

It is probabli^ the coast of Provence was 



HISTORY OF NICE. 179 

familiar to foreign sailors, long before the interior 
of the country was explored. The remoteness of 
the Greeks and Romans, the two most consider- 
able nations in the universe, leads us to suppose 
that piracy vvas the primitive cause of the disco- 
very of these countries. The situation of the 
inhabitants must have been wretched in the ex- 
treme, before the establishment of the Phocaean 
colonies. They lived like other savages in the 
rudest state of nature, without fixed habitation, 
and relied on fishing alone for'la scanty and pre- 
carious subsistence. Buried in the recesses of 
forests, or roving over large tracts of land, often- 
times disputing with the beasts the aliment they 
devoured, without knowledge of other nations, 
and unknown themselves, they lived enveloped in 
the darkest obscurity; and it was not before the 
Marseillois had taught them agriculture, that they 
first experienced the blessings of civilization, and 
the improvements of art. 

When the Romans first penetrated into that part 
of the Alps which these barbarians occupied, they 
flattered themselves with the hope of an easy con- 

N 2 



180 liiSTOKY OF NICE. 

^uest, and expected shortly to feecome masters of 
the whole country, from Genoa to the Var. But 
such was the obstinate resistance of the men, and 
such the desperate courage of the women, whose 
robust and mascuUne frames enabled them to un- 
dergo every hardship, that an interval of thirty years 
elapsed before they hecame sufficiently acquainted 
with the passes of the country, and the best mode 
of waging war against them, to enable them to 
overcome these courageous barbarians. However, 
their arms were finally successful, and they con- 
quered at the same time all Provence Narbonnoise. 
But now I pause, to trace the arrival of the 
Greeks in Gaul, and the establishment of their 
first colony, Marseilles, with which the history 
of Nice is so blended, that it would be absurd not 
to give it a place here. 



yOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES* ISi 

SECTION XVI. 

FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES, 599 YEARS B. C, 
COMPREHENDING REFLECTIONS ON THE POLI- 
TICAL SITUATION OF PROVENCE, AFTER THE 
ROMANS HAD GAINED A FOOTING ON THIS SIDE 
OF THE ALPS; AND A VIEW OF THE ADVAN- 
TAGES WHICH THE VICTORIOUS ROMANS DE. 
RIVED FROM THE MARSEILLOIS AND NISSARDS. 

The inhabitants of Phocaea, an ancient town in 
loniB^ from their proximity to the sea, were tempt- 
ed, it is probable, to seek on that element the means 
of subsistence. Other reasons, likewise, conduced 
to this measure. The sterility of the soil, and the 
extent of their population were so disproportionate, 
that they were reduced to^seek on the coasts, 
countries more favourable than those they inha- 
bited. Such is the account Justin has left us of 
the situation of this people, and he adds, that 
commerce took its rise among chem, from their 
perseverance in piratical depredations, which, how- 
ever dishonorable in the eye of reason, were 
considered lawful by those barbarians. Their 
dexterity in fishing, and the excliange of their 



182 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

industry, encouraged the desire of gain,' their ruling 
passion, and while piracy rendered them bold and 
skilful, commerce enriched their country and re- 
medied its sterility. They constructed vessels like 
the galleys which are in use at present, and they 
tvere so broad that Herodotus observes, they were 
obliged to navigate them with fifty oars, and 
taught other nations on the coasts of the Medi- 
terranean to adopt the same plan. 

The success which attended the Grecians from 
their knowledge of navigation, encouraged them 
to undertake frequent and remote voyages, and 
wherever they discovered a fertile and propitious 
soil, they formed a colony not from any dislike 
to the mother-country, but with the intention of 
abundantly supplying her wants, of provisioning 
the capital, and augmenting its commerce. 

In one of their excursions on the banks of the 
Mediterranean, they discovered near the mouth 
of the Rhone, a country which appeared peculiar- 
ly favourable to their views. On their return, 
they gave so fascinating an account of it to their 
fellow-citizens, that numbers were tempted to 



FOUNDATION Of MARSEILLES. 183 

emigrate and establish a colony on the spot. , 
Strabo informs us, that, after having consulted 
the gods, a custom from which they never swerved 
on important occasions, the Oracle commanded 
them to choose for their leader, the person whom 
Diana of Ephesus should designate. They imme- 
diately departed for Ephesus, accompanied by 
Simos and Protis, about the forty-fifth Olympiad, 
or more than ^00 years before the Christian ^Era, ^ 
to learn in what manner they ought to proceed, 
and obey the orders of the goddess. Diana ap-,. 
peared in a dream to Aristarche, an Ephesiaii 
dame of unsullied character, and directed her to 
take one of her statues from the temple, and ac- 
company the Phocseans. She obeyed, and on 
reaching the place of their destination they buiit . 
a temple, consecrated to the goddess, appointed 
Aristarche chief priestess, and conferred the most 
distinguished honors on her person. Strabo adds, 
that the worship of the goddess was introduced 
in all the colonies they pknted ; and such was 
their religious exactitude, that the rites and cere- 
pcnies obseri'cd in these countries, were scru-= 



ISi FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

pulously conformable to those offered to Diana at 
Ephesus. 

We learn from the authority of Justin, that 
another division of the Greeks, coasting along the 
shores of Italy, disembarked at the mouth of the 
Tiber, and used every endeavour to form an alli- 
ance with the Romans, from the prospegt of the 
advantages which might ensue. 

As soon as the Phocseans arrived at the spot 
where they proposed laying the foundations of the 
town, they met a fisherman who had greatly as- 
sisted them in disembarking. From this circum- 
stance they named the town mai^.yaia, derived 
from the Greek word ma25£2, signifying to constrain, 
and AAiEYz, a fisherman, and it has preserved the 
denomination ever since. 

We shall .have much difficulty in forming a 
just idea of the foundation of Marseilles, from the 
uncertainty and contradictions of the ancient his- 
torians on this point. I shall endeavour, from a 
review of the whole, to offer the most probable 
conclusions to the reader. 

Herodotus informs us in the first volume of his 



FOlTNi?A-TION OF MARSi:iLLES., .185 

geography^, that the Phoo^ans, unable to support 
.any loDger the vexatioDS of the Persians under 
the dominion of Harpagus, Lieutenant of Cyrus^ 
tyraotof Phocsea, fled with their wives and childrea 
to seek elsewhere ao asvluiiL 

They landed first at Chios, but the inhabitants, 
unwilling to permit their establishment, obliged 
them to depart for Corsica. Prior, however, to 
their arrival, they made a descent in Phoc^a, and 
attacked the troops of Harpagus, and made so 
desperate a slaughter, that they bound themselves 
by a solemn oath never to return into their coun- 
try, until a bar pf iron which they threw into the 
sea should arise of itself. Herodotus, however,, 
leads us to believe, that the foundations of the 
town were laid before that epoch, and that this 
was not the first emigration of the adventurers. 
It is moreover an indisputed fact, that in all the 
works which Thucydides has left concerning the 
first maritime powers of Greece, this author 
places the lonians immediately after those who 
disputed witli Cyrus the empire of the sea, and 
finally gives us very scanty information concerning 



'M& lOUNBATION ©T MARSEILLE!, 

Mie Marseillois, a circumstance which onfortn- 
nately envelopes the discussioia ia still greater ob*- 
scurity, 

Isocrates acqu^ints^ us, that the Phocaeans, dis- 
gusted with the tja-anny of the great king, and 
sacrificing every interest to the love of hberty, 
abandoned Asia, and fled to Marseilles*. Straba 
advances, that fortune so entirely favoured the 
Marseillois in the earliest ages, that the Romans^ 
as a token of their attachment, erected the statue 
©f Diana on Mount Aventine, and decreed to it 
the same honours which were paid by the Mar- 
seillois themselves. The authority of these wri- 
ters would induce us to believe, that the tiowi^ 
was built before the 60th Olympiad, near 2'13 years 
after the foundation of Rome, but the testimonies 
of Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Plu- 
tarch, who unquestionably would have noticed 
Marseilles when they transmitted the account of 
the consecration of Diana's temple on Mount 
Aventine, are wanting to corroborate this opinion. 
Livy, however, was not unacquainted with the 
foundation of the town, for describing the fii'»t 



FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 187 

passage of the Gauls in Italy, he observes : " Ibi 
quum velut septos montium altitudo teneret; 
Gallos, circumspectarentque quanam per junctij 
caelo juga in ahum orbem terrarum transirent, 
rehgio etiam tenuit; quod allatum e^t, advenas 
querentes agrum ab Salyum geiite oppugnari. 
Massilienses erant hi navibus a Phocaea profectL 
Id Galli fortuna? suae omen ratiadjuvere, ut quern 
primum in terram egressi oceupaverant locum, pa- 
tentibus sii^is comraupirent." Lib, v. c. 34- 

Athenasus and Justin repeat from the autho- 
rity of Aristotle, that the Phocaeans were hospi- 
tably received ; but Livy affirms, they met with 
many obstacles to their establishment. 

I have observed in the preceding chapter, 
that the coast? of Provence were inhabited by- 
several nations equally independent. It is pro- 
bable that the Phocaeans, on their arrival in these 
countries, sought the protection of Nannus, King 
of the Segobrigi, whose dominions could not 
be far from Marseilles. Justin confirms this no- 
tion, and adds, that they presented themselves before 
the king the same day that his daughter was to 
2 



|SS^ FOUNDATiaN OF MARSEILLE'S. 

©boose a husband, amidst the diieftains convened 
oi> the occasion. The king invited them to the 
ceremony, and the princess presented a cap full 
of water to Protis, a ceremony which these peo»- 
ple observed, w^hen the choice of the husband waa 
determined. Flattered by this preference, and 
siipported by the alHance of so powerful a prince, 
the PhocaBans immediately laid the foundation of 
Marseilles. A temple consecrated to their tute- 
lary goddess, Diana of Ephesu&, was their first at- 
tempt in architecture. Her image was stampton 
all theii' coin, and her worship extended to alt 
the colonies they established, Justin observes^ 
that at this epoch, the Ligurian and Catamundian 
w ars began ; and here let me add, that to the per- 
petual irruptions of the barbarians may be attri- 
buted the origin of the colony which this history 
is intended to record. 

The Salii, according to Livy, were the most 
i?nveterate and formidable enemies of the Greeks, 
m whose defence the Gauls so vigorously exertedi 
themselves. 

Concerning the date of the foundation of Mar- 



FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 189 

selHes, some historians of credit are inclined to fix 
it imder the empire of Cyrus, about the 60th 
Olympiad ; but the most exact chronologists, among 
the rest Livy, Justin, Strabo, and Athenasus, at- 
tribute it to the 45th Olympiad, and the pre- 
sumption is in favour of this period : from which 
considerations we may conclude, that Marseilles 
was founded 154' years after Rome, and 599 be- 
fore Christ 

Had not the Phocagans Immediately after their 
flight sought an asylum in Gaul, no doubt can 
exist, but that Marseilles would have been the 
place of their retreat, in consequence of the con- 
sternation which pervaded the lonians, from the 
Success of the Persian arms. The probability is^ 
that two distinct colonies established themselves 
at Marseilles, the latter, no doubt, arriving when 
the great king overawed Asia. Solinus observes, 
■*^ Phocenses quondam fugati Persarum advent^ 
IVIassiham urbem Olympiade qudragesima quints 
condiderunt." But the Persians were not master? 
-of Ionia, at the time when the Phocaeans resolved 
^n flight. Thtre exists, consequently, a cbrono- 



190 FOUNDATION OP MARSElLLESf. 

logical error, or the reason which obliged them 
to quit their country is misrepresented. Lucaa 
seems to have confounded Phocis with the Php- 
caeaiis of Ionia, and the following lines seem very 
much to confirm that notion : 



-'^ Nunquam felicibus armis 



Usa manus patriae primis a sedibus exul, 
Et post tralatas exustse Phocidos arces 
Maenibus exiguis alieno in littore tuti, 
Illustrat quos sola fides——." 

Lib, 3. 

The colony of Marseilles was no sooner esta- 
blished, and a form of government determined, 
than the inhabitants devoted their attention to 
commerce. They exchanged the productions of 
the soil for olives, wine, grains of different species, 
and all kinds of implements necessary for agricul- 
ture. The thirst of gain animated their industry, 
and became the leading feature of their policy. 
Navigators, geographers, and astronomers, were 
passionately admired and encouraged; and many 
enterprizing, persevering individuals, obtained pre- 
eminence in ythese different sciences. Pythias 



FJ>trKDATfOy OF MAi^EILLES. 191 

l^sed the straits of Gibraltar, discovered the Spa- 
sish shore, and advanced far to the aortb, more 
th^i 320 jeais behte Christ: and another, 
not less celebrated navigator, sailed towards 
die south, ^dcoastai along the w^tem banksKJf 
Africa aad Senegal, In the iaterior, excellent 
jeguiatiois were adopted, and the la^'s engraven 
on tablets were exposed in the public j^ac^, fof 
the inspection of all classes of citizens. 

These rising advantages augured well for a peo 
l^e whose ^tabiishment w^ but in its dawn, 
itough their industry experienced severe inter- 
raptions from the perpetual wars, which the bar- 
barians who inhabited 'the neighbouring countries 
waged against them. This cause, alike cruel and 
disastrous, obliged them, as their numbers aug- 
mented and their arms were successful, to plant 
new colonies^ wuth the prudent intention of ex- 
tending their possessions, and guarding the mo- 
ther city from the irruption of these barbarians. 

These objects were no sooner accomplished, 
than other advantages awaited the settlers, 
They rather endeavoured to fgrm a virtuou> 



192^ rOTTNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

community, than to ameliorate the rudeness of the 
soil. Commerce and the arts flourished amongst 
them, an indefatigable zeal for the defence of the 
country, and the general welfare directed all 
their actions. To these noble principles, how- 
ever, interest, poverty, and vice itself, unknown in 
earlier ages, hereafter added their influence ; and it 
required an energy proportionate to the corrup- 
tion of a civilized people, to check the disorders 
of the state. To effectuate so desirable an object, 
they applied themselves to the cultivation of na- 
tional industry, and encouraged each other in- 
cessantly to pursue with ardour all that could 
contribute to the public glory. 

The new colonies, from the earliest period of 
their foundation, had insensibly introduced their 
customs among the natives, and laid the basis 
of a happier organization. But the face of the 
country underwent the most memorable altera- 
tion at the time the Romans first gained footing 
within it. The customs and religion of the con- 
querors were insensibly introduced, and vas- 
sals of a great empire, these people aspire<} at 



FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 19S 

glory, and sought to ornament their minds with 
©II that knowledge can bestow. 

Narbonnoise Provence, in the time of PHny, had 
made many advances towards civihzation, and at 
the fall of the Roman empire, INlarseilles, which 
according to the opinion of this author had been 
for many ages the Athens of Gaul, and by the 
suffrage of Cicero, pre-eminent in science, became 
the abode of wisdom, talents, and literature. 

This town, subjected to the laws of a sage re- 
public, and governed by impartial magistrates, 
augmented in force and renown. Its alliance with 
the court of Rome enabled it to overawe its ene- 
mies ; and this was the happy epoch, when the 
fine arts were encourao:ed and the minds of men 
unenervated, when indolence was banished, and 
deeds of heroism imitated and extolled. , Not- 
withstanding the advantages that resulted from 
the union of the two nations, their alliance un- 
questionably prepared the chains of slavery, and 
furnished a pretext for the Roman usurpation. 
At the commencement ot the first Christian cen- 
tury, the independence of the country was at- 



19i FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

tacked, and with it liberty expired. Instead of 
the proud and ancient boast of being governed by 
their own laws, instead of obeying the decrees of 
their own senators, the power of electing the public 
authorities was annihilated, and not a spark of 
their former liberty remained. Such was the de- 
plorable humiHation to which the settlers were 
reduced ! Such were the effects of the Roman 
yoke. 

The foundation of a colony at the mouth of the 
Rhone, situated near a pleasant bay, did not fail 
to unite the Ligurians and the Salii, the bitterest 
enemies to the establishment of the Grecian ad- 
venturers. The Phocaeans, however, used every 
exertion that activity and industry could prompt 
to settle themselves on a respectable footing, and 
in proportion as they became powerful, drew on 
themselves the animosity and jealousy of their 
neighbours. The Ligurians and the Gauls, 
though industrious husbandmen and indefatigable 
warriors, were obhged to acknowledge their su- 
periority. The city was embellished, its resources 
multiplied; victorious in all they undertook, they 



rOuMDATlON 01^ MARSEILLES. I9.7 

introduced the Grecian customs, and founded new 
Colonies with incredible rapidity. 

The Phocaeans, having taught the inhabitants of 
their new territory by precept as well as by exam- 
ple, to plant, sow, and labour for the general weal, 
had the satisfaction of witnessins: the light of civi- 
lization dawn amidst the gloom of barbarism. Pri- 
vate interest gave way to public, or rather both 
were blended in one ; agriculture employed every 
arm — the influence of literature began to be gra- 
dually felt — the arts and sciences embellished 
life, and commerce poured abundance among 
them ; vines and olive trees decorated the hills 
and plains, affording at the same time agreeable 
landscapes and wholesome nutrition. 

With whatever jealousy the natives might view 
the I\Iarseillois, they were not less earnest to ac- 
quire the same advantages : though arms were 
their chief occupation, and a confidence in their 
force their proudest feeling, these passions imper- 
ceptibly decayed, and in time they united in- 
dustry with courage. Nor can it be denied that, 
relying implicitly on their valour, they would have 



196 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

preferred to have obtained by rapine the advan- 
tages which the industrious Greeks obtained by- 
labour; but once eompletely subdued, the re- 
straint which it was necessary to impose on them, 
unfavourable to the progress of a free people ^ 
tended to civihze them more rapidly. 

Finding themselves members of a great em- 
pire, where ambition ancj the love of glory in- 
spirited men to the noblest enterprizes ; where 
merit was rewarded by all the testimonies art 
could bestow, and all the distinctions society 
could confer, they strove to march hand-in-hand 
with the Greeks, and to rival them in hterature 
and virtue. 

Nor here should I forget to commemorate, if 
such names want commemoration, those of Plo- 
tius, and Cato Valerius, once inhabitants of Mar- 
seilles, but who afterwards excited at Rome the 
love of literature by their example, and facilitated 
its attainment by their precepts ; whose lessons 
imparted to Caesar and Cicero, the warrior and 
the sage, the principles of wisdom and the lights 
of philosophy. Nor can it be wondered at, thatj, 

1 



FOU>"DATION OF MARSEILLES. 197 

under such masters, the barbarians submitted to 
the yoke of reason, and became human in their 
conduct as well as in their persons. 

When albconquering Rome first displayed its 
fatal standard in Provence, she found the colonies 
governed by magistrates who respected rehgioh, 
and knew how to make it respected ; whose 
morals were irreproachable, and who sought by 
the mildest policy to establish the principles of 
social order, the surest basis of the prosperity of 
nations. Descendants of the wise Nestor, the 
inhabitants adopted his regulations, and knew that 
neither the strongest fortresses nor the best disci- 
plined troops, nor the most experienced leaders 
offered so true a defence for a country as the 
unanimity and virtiie of the inhabitants. They 
knew that, to be appreciated by the barbarians, 
they must subdue the fierceness of pride and pas- 
sion, compel unprincipled ferocity to give way to 
civilization, and, by conferring on them the bene- 
fits of religion, concord, and morals, call into 
birth those seeds of gratitude which nature has 
implanted in every bosom. They succeeded to 



195 fouIn'dation of Marseilles. 

the utmost of their desires, their enlightened 
policy commanded the admiration of the country; 
and never was their power so imposing, their po- 
pulation so numerous, their prosperity so com* 
plete. Many towns, whose history we may have 
occasion to noticCjWere then built — -lasting tokens 
of their valour, or proud mouuments of their com- 
mercial wealth, 

The period at which the Marseillois were re* 
duced to the greatest extremities was in the year 
131. Harassed by the perpetual in roads of theLigU' 
rians, and the hostilities of their other implacable 
enemies,and one of their principal towns in a state 
of siege, they resolved on sending ambassadors to 
Rome to declare the calamities they laboured under, 
and to implore the immediate aid of the senate. 

Before determining on' this measure, as if con- 
scious of the mischief it was pregnant with, they 
employed every effort that genius, courage, and 
despair, could prompt to oppose forces so superior 
to their own. Prior to this unfortunate period 
they had constantly repelled the irruptions of the 
Barbarians, maintained the safety of their colo-. 



rOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 199 

nial towns, and asserted their independence in de- 
fiance of the efforts of their enemies. But the 
distance which separated them from the mother 
colony incapacitated them from assisting, as they 
desired, these proud bulwarks of their prosperity, 
and the apprehension of being attacked at home 
prevented them from dispersing their troops, and 
urged them to seek the alliance of the Romans. 

The senate, in reply to the ambassadors of Mar- 
seilles, engaged to send deputies to negotiate a 
reconciliation. Flaminius, one of the principal 
negotiators, had no sooner disembarked at the 
town appointed for the rendezvous, than the inha- 
bitants, with menacing imprecations, required his 
immediate departure. He did not think proper 
to conform to their desires, and, so much was the 
popular spirit exasperated, that a skirmish ensued, 
in which he was grievously wounded. He then 
judged it eligible to re-embark without delay. 
This atrocious insult made so profound an impres- 
sion at Rome, that the senate resolved to direct 
their arms against the Alps ; and from this epoch 
may be dated the commencement of the conquest 



200 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

of the Gauls. The consul, Quintus Opimius, was 
now dispatched with an army sufficient to cope 
with the barbarians. On his arrival at Flacentia, 
he continued his niarch along the Apennines, 
and reached the territories of the Oxybii and 
Deciatse, who had some time since laid siege to 
Nice and Antibes. He pitched his camp on the 
banks of the river Apros, and awaited the ap- 
proach of the enemy. Finding them make no 
dispositions to attack him, he conducted his army 
under the walls of the town, Y. R. 599, opposite 
the spot where the barbarians had so outraged 
the laws of nations in the persons of his col- 
leagues. 

The town was taken by assault, the inha- 
bitants were made prisoners, and the authors 
of the insult dispatched to Rome with chains on 
their hands and feet, to undergo the punishment 
due to their offence. 

No sooner had Opimius thus signalized his 
vengeance, than he marched his army against the 
united forces of the barbarians, and prepared for 
an immediate engagement. The Oxybii, unac- 



FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 201 

quainted with the valour and discipline of the 
Romans, endeavoured to obtain, by one act of te- 
merity and despair, advantages which superior 
numbers alone could realize. They attacked the 
Roman camp with four thousand men, without 
even waiting the arrival of the Deciatse. Opimius 
soon appreciated the exertions of such an enemy. 
He perceived they had courage without conduct, 
and force without judgment. His military 
knowledge convinced him how ignorant they were 
of ^11 system, and he apprehended little for the 
fame of the Roman legions in competition with 
such antagonists. He ranged his troops in battle 
array, placed himself at tTieir head, animated them 
by his example, and marched them in slow order 
against the barbarians. 

The undaunted composure of the Roman le- 
gions struck them with dismay. They were con- 
founded on the very first shock ; in a moment 
discomfited and pursued in every direction : the 
greatest part of their tumultuous hordes were left 
on the field of battle, and the survivors owed 
their safety to flight. 



502 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

The Deciatee in the mean time approached the 
enemy ; but perceiving that unsupported they 
were not in a situation to offer battle, they over- 
took the remnants of the Oxybian army, and, 
having rallied their scattered forces, led them 
to the charge. The action was maintained with 
desperate temerity on one side, and invincible 
resolution on the other, till the tactics of the Ro- 
mans prevailed ; and, so complete was the de- 
feat of their enemies, that they were obliged to 
abandon all hope of recovering their principal 
town. 

After this event the Marseillois and theNissards 
demonstrated every token of joy, and delivered 
from all immediate fear of the barbarians, they 
were re-instated in the territory which the Ro- 
mans had conquered. 

Opimius, crowned with glory, obliged the 
enemy to send hostages to Marseilles as sureties 
for their conduct : he disarmed their forces, and 
quartered his troops in their towns during winter. 

The reflections which the consideration of these 
affair? naturally suggest to the reader must inform 



■FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 303 

him, that the petty tyrants who inhabited the 
coasts of the Mediterranean, could offer but f^Be 
resistance to their ambitious enemies. The^%J£^^ 
soon broke out again, and other hordes of bar"^^ 
rians joined against the Romans, but always \skh 
the same result, and so Httle did they learn fmj^ 
their repeated combats with them, that the ens#. 
ing campaign, which at its commencement .^wit- 
nessed their recruited forces, and injudicious'^^- * 
ultation, before its close, witnessed their co: 
and final subjugation. 

The memorable defeat, however, of the ©x^i)ii 
and the ©eciatae, produced but a transitof^.^ji- 
pression on the roving inhabitants of these c^a^ % 
tries, and their tranquillity was but of shorfc^l&u- 



ration. Their natural propensity to war and 
rage, restrained for a time, burst forth with redd*!^. 
bled violence, and frequent irruptions, accom|N^ 
nied with pillage and barbarity, again spread ettir 
stern ati on through the same country. Such we^ 
the unfortunate occurrences which contributed to 
lull the ^larseillois into a fatal security concerning 
the presence of the Roman legions, and the-h^v 



«^ 



SQ4 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. 

mediate necessity of their services easily induced 
them to turn their eyes from the possibility of 
remoter danger. 

Reciprocal advantages formed the basis of each 
treaty, but the profound pohcy of the Roman 
senate anticipated from this measure far more ^im- 
portant results. The Marseillois had no alterna- 
tive; this was the only means of redeeming their 
colonies, and of chasing the enemy back to their 
wild uncultivated countries. But unfortunately 
nothing could more efTectually pave the way for 
the Roman despotism, and the ultimate subjuga- 
tion of them all. The Romans were too vigilant 
not to see the advantages such an expedition 
offered, and far too ambitious not to profit by 
them to their utmost extent. They had long 
sought so favourable a pretext for passing the 
Alps, and carrying their arms on the GalUc terri'- 
tory. This difficulty once overcome, every thing 
appeared easy to them ; they already planted co- 
lonies ; they already nominated prefects to go- 
vern them. 

We may easily conceive, that the profound 



FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLES. ^05 

policy of the Romans readily took advantage of 
the disastrous position of their allies. New troops 
were expedited, and M. Fulvius Flaccus, a most 
experienced captain, appointed to the command. 
They had two objects, the first, to assist the Mar- 
seillois, the next, to subdue the undisciplined 
valour of the Ligurians, who were the people 
whom the Romans had principally to contend 
with, and to comprehend these sequestered coun- 
tries within the hmits of their own jurisdiction. 
The Romans, in short, gained all they desired ; 
they established the glory of their arms in the 
territory of the enemy, and after gaining repeated 
victories, established, as a monument of their glory, 
in the country of the Salri, the now celebrated 
town of Aix. Y. R. 630. It was termed 
from Sextius Calvinus, the name of its founder, 
and from the waters for which it is famous, Aquae 
Sexti2e, or waters of Sextius. '' Victa Salyoram 
gente, Coloniam aquas Sextias coiididit." 

It was the first Roman colony established in 
Transalpine Gaul. 

The undisciplined p^^arriors of Gaul offered. 



206 FOUNDATION OF MARSEILLE^; 

ho\%ever, a more difficult conquest thaii the 
Roman pride had imagined. Accustomed to 
savage independence, and spurning all restraint, 
the bravest troops in the universe could not inti- 
midate th^in. Cruel and impetuous, dreading 
slavery, but despising death, they were ever eager 
to break the chains that were forged for them, 
arid embrajced every opportunity to expiate in the 
blood of their oppressors, the outrages offered to 
their hberty. They maintained with equal obsti- 
nacy and courage, the unequal contests till the 
days of Fabius Maximus. In a great and decisive 
engagement between the Isere and the Rhone, 
B. C; 120, no efforts could withstand the tactics 
and resolution of this general's army. The environs 
of the town of Orange were the scene of this ^c- 
tory, and he celebrated the defeat by a triumphal 
entry, equally remarkable for the pomp with which 
it was solemnized, and the prodigious slaughter 
which occasioned it. I'he carnage was almost 
universal. The few that survived, signalized their 
last moments by an act characteristic at once of 
their passion for liberty and contempt of death. 



FOUNDATION OF NICE. ^07 

Finding all resistance impracticable, and no hope 
remaining, they led their wives and children to 
the field of battle, and slaughtered both them 
and themselves in the presence of the Romans, 
sooner than live under the yoke of slavery, and 
weep over the ruins of their country. 

The Allobroges, the nation of which we have 
just spoken, with the other provincial tribes, 
were soon after entirely subjugated by the Ro- 
mans. After a few unavailing efforts, they be- 
held their country swelling the list of Roman 
conquests, and the inhabitants reduced to patience 
and obedience. 



SECTION XVII. 

FOUNDATION OF NICE, S40 YEARS B. C. 

The repeated successes the Greeks obtained 
over the inhabitants of the territory of Nice and 
the Maritime Alps, first induced them to establish 
a colony in the midst of the hordes of barbarians 
on the farther side of the Var, and thereby erect. 



SOS FOUNDATION OF NICE. 

a proud and living trophy of tlie advantages their 
arms had acquired in the country of the Vediantii. 
More than 259 years had elapsed, since the resi- 
dence of these adventurers in Gaul, during which 
period they had been engaged in perpetual wars 
with the Ligurians. The heights of the moun^ 
tains, and the recesses of the forests to which 
these barbarians retreated, rendered any attack 
impracticable, and facilitated the irruptions with 
which they oftentimes desolated the country. A 
delightful territory, and the desire of vengeance, 
tempted the Grecians to project the conquest of 
this country, and they had all the success they 
desired. 

Strabo acquaints us, that when the Marseillois 
had acquired a certain force, they made different 
excursions in the adjacent country, and delighted 
with the picturesque territory, and luxuriant soil 
which border the eastern banks of the Var, they 
resolved on its immediate subjugation. They ac- 
cordingly built the town of Nice, as a barrier to re- 
sist the opposition of the Ligurians, on a position 
exceedingly strong, and it served at the same time 



HISTORY OF NICE, 209 

as a monument of the signal victory they had 
gained over the barbarians;. 

Leander Albertus attributes the origin of Nice 
to Nicius Laertes Duke of Etruria, and instead 
of the word Nicea, substitutes Nicia ; but Cluve- 
rius, with more probability, has restored to the 
MarSeillois the foundation of the town, and 
corroborates his opinion with the authorities of 
Pliny, Ptolemy, and many other geographers. 
They who imagine Nice was built on the 
ruins of Cimiez, have to combat the weighty tes- 
timony of Sigoiiius, who assures us, that this last 
town, of which some vestiges remain, existed 
until the invasion of Gaul, by the Lombards, and 
that Nice was reputed the second considerable 
town in Italy in the days of Ptolemy. It is easy to 
verify the opinions of this last author, by 
examining his book of geography, where Nice 
is placed immediately after Rome, and before 
Tarracina, Naples, &c. One may conjecture, 
that he has blended Nice and Cimiez together, 
Qs they were situated so near each other. 

The towns are ranked in the following order: 



510 HISTORY OF NICE. 

Roma — Regia. Ravenna. 

Nicyea — Massiliensium. Aquileia. 

Tarracina. Beneventiis. 

Neapolis. Capua. 

Brunei usium. Valeria. 

A neon. Mariana. 

' We have likewise treated in the preceding 
chapter of the colonies of Marseilles, on the au- 
thority of Polybius, who affirms this circumstance 
unequivocally. Ptolemy, perhaps, has confound- 
ed the cities of Nice and Cimiez in consequence 
of their proximity, but should we choose to dis- 
cuss this question, we ought not to forget that 
their names were distinct, though sometimes 
under the jurisdiction of one, and the same bishop. 
The letter of Pope St. Hilarius, to Leontius, Vera- 
nus and Victorius, incontestably decide this fact, 
^swell as the signature attached to the acts of 
certain assemblies, where the same bishop 
iadopts the two titles. The letter written by St. 
Hilarius, conformably to the desire of his predeces- 
sor, proves the assertion. Vincentius Barralis sup- 
poses Nice was built on the ruins of Cimiez, and 



HISTORY OF NICE. 211 

Jacobus is of opinion, that before the demoli- 
tion of the latter place, Nice was only a castle ; 
St. Hilarius likewise entertained the same belief: 
but Jofredi thinks, and not without reason, that 
Jacobus has misunderstood Pliny's application of 
the word oppidum. It was the undoubted cus- 
tom of the ancients, to give to the word oppidum 
the signification of town, nor is it astonishing that 
succeeding authoi^ should have used it in the 
same sense. St. Hilarius certainly called Nice a 
castle, but if, in fact, it was nothing more when 
Cimiez was a flourishing city, why have not the 
ancient historians, whose exactitude is unques- 
tionable, noticed it under that denomination ? It 
is much more rational to infer, that from the time 
of the prosperity of Cimiez, Nice dated her de- 
cline. Jofredi apprehends, that the Pope has 
fallen into the same error as Jacobus. Many per- 
sons, attracted by the^uperiority of Cimiez, pro- 
bably migrated from Nice, but one can by no 
means infer from this circumstance that this latter 
city was erected on the ruins of a contiguous 
capital No doubt, many learned historians 

p 2 



212 HISTORY OF NICEk 

maintain theopposite opinion ; but there are others 
equally as numerous and respectable, who affirm, 
that Nice and Cimiez existed both at the same 
time, and corroborate their arguments with a 
quotation fromPtolemy,who declares expressly ,that 
Nice was situated much nearer the Mediterranean 
than Cimiez. The same author uses these very 
words in speaking of Cimiez: " Vediantiorum in 
Maritimis Alpibus Cemeneleon," and Pliny adds, 
" Ab amne Varo Nicaea oppidum a Massiliensibus 
conditum, Fluvius Pado, Alpes, Populique Inalpini 
multis nominibus sed maxim^ capillati oppido 
Vediantiorum Civitatis Cemeneleon." Nothing 
in my opinion can contribute more to the con- 
clusion we ought to form, than the text of this 
author. Can any thing prove more satisfactorily, 
more irrefragably, that it was a city and not a cas- 
tle? Some difficulty has likewise presented itself 
on the derivation of the name of the town, for in 
ages so remote, almost every thing is tinctuited 
with the marvellous. 

Many persons believed that the votaries of Bac- 
chus called the town Nice, from a neighbouring 



HISTORY OF NICE. 213 

mountain, dedicated to the god, which bore the same 
appellation. They attributed likewise to the town 
of Cemelle, or Simelle, a similar derivation. They 
traced it from Semele, the mother of this divinity. 
Several places in the neighbourhood of Nice were 
unquestionably distinguished by Grecian names. 
The adjacent mountains had their Pelion and 
Ossa : the plains their Olympia, &c. 

Nicaea, Nicea, Nica, Nicia, Nic^a, Grascis, mx 
dicitur, Ptolemeo, Straboni, Plineo, Catoni, Sem- 
pronio, Pomponio Melas, nee non Livii, Stephani-- 
que breviatoribus. Cluverius remarks, " Nomen 
baud dubi^ sortitaest Nicaea a rei eventu, id est 
a vincendo, scilicet cum Massilienses, devictis, 
ejectisque Liguribus ea httora obtinuissent.'^ 
Other authors also confirm the preceding quo- 
tations. This explanation of the word appears 
the most appropriate and correct; in fine, to avoid 
all uninteresting unnecessary speculations on this 
subject, I shall content myself with observing, 
that the word vt^^, signifying Victoria, was applied 
to the town, as the only expression conformable 
to the word victory, in allusion to the triumph of 



214 HISTORY OF NICE. 

the Grecians over the barbarians. The greatest 
attention must be paid in detailing the history of 
Nice, not to confound the revolutions peculiar to 
this town, which took place in the remotest ages 
with those of other towns that bear the same 
name. The difficulty of acquiring accurate in- 
formation concerning ancient history, renders this 
line more arduous to observe, while the historian 
of modern times scarcely meets any embarrassment 
from the same cause. The discordant relation 
of cotemporary authors, often throws a veil of in- 
certitude and suspicion on the facts they explain. 
Without great attention, the variety of towns 
called Nice, will confound the person who endea- 
vours to delineate the situation, and principal 
events, pecuHar toany of them. There were several 
of this name in Asia, and Jofredi in his Nicaea 
Civitas thus expresses himself: " Numero octo 
sunt, quas prseteream, qua de agimus, in Asia seu 
Bithynia apud Locros, lllyrios, Indos, Thraces, 
Boeotios, Corsos passim recenscnt geographi.'^ But 
of all these towns, there is not in our days 
any excepting Nice, situated on the banks of 



HISTORY OF NICE. 215 

the river Paglion, which enjoys a great reputa- 
tion. 

The territory of Nice, bounded by the Var on 
the west, is remarkable for having formed the hne 
of demarcation between France and Ital}^ : though 
we learn that Antibes, which was situated in 
France, was adjoined by a resolution of the se- 
nate of Marseilles to the prefecture of Italy, and 
Nice to that of Marseilles. Nice in succeeding 
ages became the capital ofa province, which bears 
a similar name, and formed one part of the states 
of His Highness the Count of Savoy. It then 
comprised eighteen leagues in length, and thirteen 
in breadth : situated between the Marquisate of 
Saluces, Piedmont, the Mediterranean Sea, and 
Provence ; it was bounded by the first of these 
countries on the north, by the sea on the south, 
and by Piedmont on the east. The territory is 
bathed by seven rivers. The Var, vrhich claims 
the first rank, the Tinea, the Yesubia, the Esteron, 
the Paglion, the Roia, and the Bevera. 

I subscribe perfectly to the opinion of Andrew 
Thevetj who said, that he knew no site so conge^ 



216 HISTORY OF NICE. 

nial for the foundation of a town, as that on which 
Nice is erected. He descants with enthusiasm on 
its natural advantages, and its superiority to all 
those he liad seen. The Romans themselves were 
so alive to its attractions, that they visited it as a 
refuge from business, and a relaxation fronfi more 
important concerns. 

Nice, protected by the metropolis, for more than 
a hundred and ten years, courageously repelled 
the united efforts of the barbarians. The latter 
Tiewed with increasing jealousy the force and 
consideration this city obtained. Indeed, the 
whole community seemed to be animated 
with the desire of perfecting their commerce, 
policy, and agriculture. The religious and 
social customs of the Greeks were the model of 
universal imitation. Diana of Ephesus was wor- 
shipped with all the ceremonies observed in the 
parent colony. Their government and civil laws 
were the same, though in arts, literature, and 
science, Marseilles enjoyed the undoubted as- 
cendancy, 

Nice, ftom its vicinity to the sea, fgrnished ^ 



HISTORV OF NICE. 217 

pumber of vessels peculiarly appropriated to fish- 
ing ; but united with Marseilles, she had little 
need of maritime force. That city was sufficiently 
powerful, and there were few apprehensions en- 
tertained from the sea. 

When Nice was totally out of danger, her 
peaceable and laborious qitizens beheld the adja- 
cent countries fertilized by their industry, and re- 
compensing their cares. All the plains which the 
Paglion waters on the east, and the Var on the 
west, assumed the cheerful aspect of successful 
cultivation. Even the triumph of the Roman 
arms introduced but little innovation among 
them ; they were for a time governed by their 
own laws and customs, though they acknowledged 
the supremacy of the parent city ; and indeed 
the recollection of the past inspired them with 
gratitude for those to whom th^y owed their 
present security. 

Still, however, the Romans assiduously pursu- 
ed the means of their aggrandisement from the 
moment the siege of Nice and Antibes furnished 
^ pretext for introducing their arms in Gaul. 



^IB HISTORY OFKICE. 

The towns they had rescued from the barbarians 
were the first to submit to the yoke, and to pre- 
pare the universal conquest of the country. 

The Cimbri and Teu tones, now powerful ene- 
mies of the court of Rome, after numerous 
successes, had determined to march their hordes 
into the heart of Italy. They demanded of 
the Romans a grant of lands, and proposed, 
as an indemnity, employing their arms in their 
service : the refusal of the senate fired them with 
indignation, and they attacked and routed, in the 
first moments of fury, a considerable portion of the 
army of the Consul Silanus. This catastrophe, 
which filled Rome with consternation, was attri- 
buted to the obstinacy of the Romans,who refused 
to retreat. Marins, who had been again named 
Consul, was now re-instated in the command of 
the army. He instantly passed the Alps, and, en- 
camping himself on the banks of the Rhone await- 
ed the return of the Ambrones from Spain. Their 
tumultuous hordes soon filled the neighbouring 
plains, but the consul thought proper to suffer 
them to pass uninterruptedly, and to follow them to 



HISTORY OF NICE. 219 

the banks of the Arc,where they pitched their camp. 
The Romans had long suffered from thirst, and 
evinced a strong desire to come into action. 
Marius placed his army on the heights of a con- 
tiguous hill, in sight of the river defended by 
their enemies, in order to infuse in it more 
fury in the moment of attack. The barbarians 
began the engagement by striking their shields 
v^rith their sabres ; the Ligurians and Provencaux 
did so likewise, and, with the aid of the Roman 
legions, succeeded in routing the enemy. The 
Cimbri, Teutones,and Ambrones, made a long and 
desperate resistance ; but the bravery and skill of 
the Roman generals, w^ho took advantage of every 
error, and offered none to their foes, gained a 
victory as honourable to themselves as to every 
part of the army.* 

Marius acknowledged in his letters to Rome, 
that he owed the advantages he had gained in 
great part to his Provencal auxiliaries. 

The 48th year B. C. was a melancholy epoch 

* ** Nos prlmi Senonum motus, Cimbrumque riirntem, 
Vidimus, et Martera Libyes, cursumque furoris 
T^ntonici." 



2^0 HISTORY OF NICE. 

for the Marseillois and the Nissards. It was then 
they found all resistance ineffectual, and the 
asylum of liberty subjugated by the Roman eagle. 
These unconquered, flourishing, independent peo- 
ple5despoiled of all their trophies, were now obliged 
to bow before Rome, and submit to the limited in- 
dulgences Rome yet granted them. Even those, the 
Marseillois were on the point of losing through 
an act of despair; but had they displayed as much 
prudence during the siege of the town as their 
policy had been admirable before it, though they 
might not have avoided the yoke, at least they 
would have escaped the rigors of slavery. 

The prudence of the Marseillois at the beginning 
ofthe civil war between Caesar and Pompey was 
consistent with the wisdom of the senate ; but the 
political horizon, pregnant at that period with 
great events, among which was the fate of this 
republic, obliged them to declare for one of the 
disputants. To remain neuter was more danger- 
ous than an open avowal. Afraid of both, and 
obliged to both, it was difficult to know what 
Pleasures to adopt the most compatible with 



iiistoRY OF Nicie. ^i I 

their safety. The Nissards never sided with 
either party, but the Marseillois, in defiance of 
their determination to remain neuter, at length de- 
clared in favour of Pompey. They were under 
almost equal obligations to the rival competitors ; 
Caesar had improved their finances and reduced 
their impositions, Pompey had extended their ter- 
ritory with various establishments in Languedoc- 

Brutus, who had been dispatched to Marseilles 
by Catsar, attacked the town, and, though in-^ 
ferior in force, engaged the enemy's fleet in the 
port, sunk and destroyed a considerable number, 
and obliged the rest to make a precipitate retreat. 
The Marseillois, after this defeat, soon repaired their 
fleet, and joined the squadron of Nasidius, which 
Pompey had ordered to hasten to their succour. 

The siege of the town was then undertaken 
and sustained with incredible intrepidity; but 
the inhabitants, perceiving one of their towers de- 
stroyed, and fearful of the prodigious efforts of the 
enemy, opened the gates, and implored the compas- 
sion of the generals and the army. They entreat- 
ed them to delay their operations until the arrival 



^29 HISTOilY OF KicS:. 

of Csesar, and to save the town from pillage and 
flame. They accorded their demand, but an act 
of perfidy soon after awakened their just resent- 
ment. They set fire to [the machines : destroy- 
ed some of the Roman outworks, and Csesar 
then obliged them to deliver their vessels, money, 
and arms, to his generals, and to receive two 
Roman legions in garrison in the town. 

The proceedings of the Marseillois coincided 
little w^ith the discourse they held forth to Caesar. 
In their harangue to him, they entreated him t 
let them remain neuter in the war which then 
prevailed. '^Dont stop,^^ said they, «' to con- 
quer us, when it is of such importance to you 
to pass into Spain. It will be little glorious to you 
to subdue us; we shall add nothing to your 
triumph. Our countrymen, who have abandoned 
their ancient territory, thirst not aftervictory, and 
though we have transported from Ionia, to these 
foreign climes, the greater part of our forces, our 
good faith alone constitutes our safety and our glory/* 

After this conquest, each city w^as governed 
by the Roman laws, public games were insti- 



HISTORY OF NICE. 223 

tilted, and managers appointed to superintend 
them. The town of Cimiez was peopled in the 
first Christian aera Avith Romans, as well as 
natives. Nice, wdiich had always been subjected 
to the dominion of IMarseilles during the reiga 
of Tiberius, was separated from it. At this epoch, 
not only Provence but the whole of Gaul became 
the prey of Roman ambition. If the reputation 
of Nice had eclipsed many towns of Italy during 
the earliest ages, yet her ancient consideration and 
splendor insensibly diminished, as soon as the 
Romans had acquired the territory and towns of 
Gaul. Cimiez surpassed her so far, that while she 
sank to the degree of a secondary city, all the 
efforts of the conquerors were employed to 
augment the prosperity of the other. The revo- 
lutions of Rome and Provence produced still more 
serious effects on this flourishing city, for having 
attained celebrity, she decayed from an excess of 
prosperity, and in a little time owed all her 
consideration to her port, castlej and the memory 
of her former importance. 



^^i HISTORY of ISlCtir 

SECTION XVIII. 

CIMIEZ, FORMERLY THE CAPITAL OF THE 
VEDIANTIL 

I SHALL not transgress the bounds I had pre- 
scribed myself in tracing the history of Nice, irt 
annexing some details on Cimiez, an ancient and 
Celebrated cit}^, connected with it by its vicinity^ 
and a train of events common to both. Cimiez, in 
the days of its prosperity, was certainly as largei 
as Nice. Situated on an agreeable eminence! 
opposite to Mount Alban, the suburbs of Nice, 
extending from the high road to Piedmont, con- 
tinued its boundary, and the river Paglion sepa-- 
rated them from each other. Some persons have 
conjectured that the name of this town was de- 
rived from Cemeno Monte. But Pliny, Ptolemy, 
and Antoninus, have not satisfied us on this point. 
Jofredi supposes this name is composed of 
Cemen-Uion, id est inter Cemenes Montesj 
Ilion.* 

* Sicuti enim i^neas ex Asia aufugit j 

** Ilium in Italiam portans, victosque Penates." 
<* Sic Tones Phoceei Trojae Asiaticoe monumentum aliquod 
in novx Urbis nomine fortasso servarunt." 



inSTORY OF NICE. S25 

&ut without farther delay on this discussion, 
1 shall simply observe that when the Romans 
conquered the country, the word Cemeneleon was 
contracted into Ciniela : Cemehon, Cemelium, 
Cemelam, and Cimellam, were also all primitives 
of Cimiez, and this accords with the statement 
of Phihppus Ferrarius. 

It affords a melancholy example of the insta» 
bility of worldly grandeur, that this town, one of 
the capitals of the Maritime Alps, and once so 
renowned in Italy, should now possess only vesti- 
ges of its ancient celebrity. 

^^ Agnosci nequeunt sevi monumenta prions, 
Grandia consiimpsit mcenia tempus edax i 
Sola manent intercpsetis vestigia inuris, 
Ruderibus latis tecta sepulta jacent." 

We collect from the works of Sidonius Apolli- 
naris, that the demolition of Cimiez did not take 
place before the irruption of tlie Lombards into 
this country. It must have enjoyed high Con- 
sideration from being an archbishops see, the 
abode of a Roman prefect, and the capital town 
of this part of the Maritime Alps. It was embel- 



f26 HISTORY OF KICE. 

lished vrith monuments, public inscriptions, 
colleges, &c. and Cassiodorus informs us that the 
Roman prefects had planted their standards, and 
established the prerogatives and public amuse- 
ments of the inhabitants on the same footing, 
as in the other Roman provinces. "Jus figendi 
clavi, gladii gestandi, infalarum, praetextae, p.ur- 
purese, annuli aurei, vasorum, equorum, vehi- 
culorum, apparitorum, scipionis eburnei, selte 
curulis, et sifnilium," were customs adopted 
every where. The Romans, guided by the plainest 
principles of polic}^ gave every encouragement 
to the improvement and celebrity of the town, 
and accorded to all those who were wiHing to 
establish themselves the same privileges that 
the most favoured citizens of Italy enjoyed. 

Tiiere were three distinctions of people at 
Cimiez, as weilafj in all the Roman cities. They 
were entitled, as at Rome, Nobiles, Equites, and 
l*lebs4 many respectable families resided at Ci- 
miez, amongst the rest the Servilii, the Valerii, the 
Veri, the Manilii, the Gabinii, the Cassii, &c. 

Though the ravages of the barbarians have 



iirSTORV OF NicSt S27 

almost annihilated the public nioniimehts, the 
noble eclifices, and the code of prefectorial laws 
vigorously observed in this city, yet their very 
existence can leave no doubt of its pohtical im- 
portance. The authority of the commandantj 
in the time of the Roman emperors, extended on 
one side from Genoa to Digne, on the other> 
from Yence to the summit of the Alps. 

Nor can it be considered as surprising, that 
after the various calamities Cimiez has sustained, 
the reiterated incursions of the Saracens and the 
Lombards, such few vestiges of antiquity remain* 
We may observe of Cimiez as Ovid has of Troy^ 

'^ Hie locus est ubi Troia fuit," 
Nunc seges est ubi Troia fuit. 

Notwithstanding, however, these commotions^ 
. which have so much dilapidated the monuments of 
antiquity, and razed so many marks of human 
industry, yet there are still Som-e trophies extant, 
directed to the memory of illustrious men, which 
awaken the most interesting ideas. Among 
other inscriptions which have beep discovered 



^e the fallowing: 



Q % 



228 HISTORY OP NI€E, 



P. Seciindo. Severino. M. F» 

Equiti, publico. IIII. viro. 

Curator! . Cemenelensium. 

2. Aliment. 

L. D. Deer, Decc 

C. Albino. C. F. Faler. 

2. II. Viro. Et. Curatorl. 

Kalend. Pecuniae, 

Cemenelensium. 

L. D. Deer. Deee. Cemen> 

C. J. Valenti. J. F. 

Viro. Civit. Salin. 

Alpium. Maritimarum, 

Patrono Optimo. 
Tabernarii. Cemenel, 

Flavic^. Verini. Fil. Qu. estori.' 
Albino. Decurioni. IL viro.— Sa 

Lin. Civitat. 11. viro. — For. 
Ojuliens. Flamini. Provin. — eiae. 
Alpium. Maritimarum. Optimo* 
Patrono. Tabernar. Salinien.— 
Posuerunt. Curantibus. Matu.-— 
— Nsueto et. — Albuci. — 
Jmp.Commodo. III. Et* Antistio*- 
Burro Coss, 



HISTGRY OF NICE. '^9 

P, Aelio. Severino. 
V. E. F. 

Praesidi. Optimo." 

Ordo. Cemdi. 

Patrono. 

In 17S7 a German traveller, who had permis- 
sion to explore the territory of Cimiez, found 
two small statues in bronze, two feet and a half 
high, and one of marble nearly of the same size : 
two years afterwards a Polish princess was 
still more successful in her researches. She 
ordered different gardens to be dug up, and the 
following antiquities were then discovered. An 
ancient ring and key of gold; a figure representing 
Jupiter; upwards of an hundred medals of differ- 
ent emperors; several mosaic pieces, and the 
remains of a large aqueduct that conveyed water 
to Cimiez. 

The terrace at the south end of the gardens, 
extends to the summit of the hill of Cimiez, 
behind which a part of the town formerly stood. 
The ruins of some of the houses are still to be 
seen, and near them the remains of a temple or 



530 HISTORY OF* NICE. 

some otbei* public monument, and the^ walls of 
an amphitheatre, where it is said Saint Pontics 
suffered martyrdom in the reign of Valerian. The 
road at Cimiez passes over the cells where the 
animals were kept : and the area, which is of small 
extent, is now covered with olive trees.* 

A little beyond the town is a convent. It 
formerly belonged to the Recollets, an order of 
Franciscan Monks. 

The veneration which the Christians felt for the 
relics of St. Pontius, whom they considered one 
of the most undaunted champions of Christianity, 
was so great, that when the Lombards were sack- 
ing the town of Cimiez, the place of his interment, 
they transported them with the utmost precaution 
to Nice. In the reign of Charlemagne a monas- 
tery was raised to his memory in this town, and 
In the 1 0th century, the inhabitants of Tomieres, 
in the province of Languedoc, procured half of 
the precious deposit to be removed to their town. 

* '* Clauditur ip teretem longis anfractibus orberp, 
Complectens geminas aequo discrimlne metas, 
Btspacium mediae, quilse via tendit areaye/* 



HISTORY OF NICE. 231 

When Cimiez wa^ tbe capital of the Vediantii, 
like all other barbarian crties, it was onlyr-attrac- 
tive from its situation. It was no till the Ro- 
man conquests, and the ligiit of civilization had, 
overcome the ignorance of the age, that this city 
contained edifices worthy of her grandeur, and 
improvements vvortby of her conquerors. The 
ruins of trophies, aqtieducts, triumphal arches, 
and public monuments, are proud testimonies of 
the enlightened policy and gigantic resources of 
the victors, while their present condition must 
necessarily awaken melancholy reflections on the 
fragihty of human labours, and on the inevitable 
ravages which time makes on the architect, a« 
well as on his works. 

** Miremur periisse homines, monumenta fatiscunt. 
Mors etiam saxiij nomiiiibusque venit/' 

What a contrast, on viewing at present luxuriant 
corn fields which once were the scene of 'patriot 
effort and heroic virtue! on beholding fertile or- 
chards, where the sacrilegious hand of barbarism 
spread desolation and horror, or in contcmplatisg 



33^ rilSTORY Of NICE* 

Leaps of ruin, where once majestically arose the 
noblest ornaments of human industry ! What a 
difference between the triumph of arms, and the 
cheerful aspect of a thriving population ! Who 
^ can wander over the smiling plains of Cimiez, or 
the banks of the Paglion, and not be profoundly 
agitated in meditating on the fatal contention of 
kingSj the ambitious thirst of mihtary renown, 
and the successive scenes of famine, triumph, 
despair, and wretchedness, which in their turns 
have signalized these countries ! As soon might 
one contemplate ancient Rome on the banks of 
the Tiber, and be unmoved at the recollection of 
what she was, and what she is. 



SECTION XIX. 

VICISSITUDES OF NICE. 

No doubt can exist, I apprehend, after all the 
tttithorities I have cited, that Nice derived its 
origin from tlic Marseillois: that it was originally 



HISTORY OF NICE. 933 

a town, and not a castle; that it existed at the 
Same epoch with Cimiez, and consequently could 
not be built on its ruins as some authors have 
imagined. Coeval with so celebrated a city, it 
certainly declined in reputation, as the other, en- 
dowed with multiphed resources and a pvefecto- 
rial residence, extended its renown. To these 
unanswerable reflections, we must annex the 
ahenation of the Marseillois government, and the 
disuse of their laws. 

When the Roman armies freely passed the Alps, 
the prosperity of the great nation augmented 
every day. Masters of Italy, Lombardy, Sicily, 
Sardinia, Corsica, Spain, Asia, ^Etolia, Macedon, 
Greece, Africa, and Egypt ; they yet aspired to 
conquer Gaul, and reduce all Europe to their 
subjection. The arts, sciences, and literature, 
were rapidly advancing to perfection, and when 
the Romans had subdued Provence, their domi- 
nion was equally as decided over learning and 
civihzation. Besides the lyre of the muses, Italy 
boasted the altar of liberty, and the generous blood 
©f her citizens had often been shed in its defence. 



534 HISTORY OF NICE, 

The arts, neglected in Greece, revived with 
new force among the Romans, and for a time the 
banks of HesperiascaKcely yielded to the immortal 
city of Minerva. 

Provence insensibly changing her form of go- 
vernment, all the Roman customs were introduced, 
and the whoje of this country, after the capture of 
Marseilles, yielded to the power of the emperors, 
and proved of great utihty in the subsequent con- 
quests of Gaul. 

The prosperity of Marseilles was then no longer 
interwoven with that of Nice. She had hitherto 
been a part of an independent empire, which de- 
rived much benefit from her friendship ; but Rome 
was now her mistress, and new interests were to 
be consulted. From the proximity of Nice to the 
sea, her maritime resources were to a certain degree^ 
important for a conqueror, but the ambition of 
Rome was to form grand and imposing alliances. 
Nice was unquestionably of utility to Rome in 
the conquest of Provence, though Rome afforded 
her little reciprocal advantage. She lost, on the 
contrary, all her commerce with Africa, through 



HISTORY OF NICE. 955 

the channel of Marseilles, and was very much op- 
pressed by the frequent expeditions of the Ro- 
mans into Gaul, during the civil war betweea 
Otho and Vitellius. ^ 

After these vicissitudes, the Goths, the Bur- 
gundiansj the Visigoths, all overcame it with the 
intention of destroying it, and pursued its demoli-. 
tion with a cruelty peculiar to barbarians. The 
Jrench, whose monarchy was first established on 
a solid basis during the reign of Clovis, now 
claimed it with eagerness, and obtained it by 
conquest and right of arms. Victim of the Lom- 
bards and Saracens, they ruined its resources and 
plundered its habitations. The Kings and Counts 
of Aries re-united this town to the territory of 
Trovence, which soon after was subjected to the 
Princes of Arragon, the house of Anjou,the Kings 
of Naples, then the house of Savoy, and finally 
belonged altogether to the crown of France, 

Nothing can appear more natural than the re- 
solution of the inhabitants of Provence, to deliver 
themselves from the tyrannical yoke of the Roman 
government, which from the sanguinary reign of 



^36 HISTORY OF l^riCE. 

Tiberius bore the seeds of its own dissolution. 
They had remained faithful to Rome as long as she 
preserved her conquests, and maintained her laws. 
It was the relaxation of the laws, the pusillanimity 
of the emperors, and the frightful progress of vice, 
which fomented the different factions. In the 
reign of Honorius the volcano burst, and was ever 
after inextinguishable. The Goths, a formidable 
nation, had already made in the time of Tiberius 
and his successor, various incursions in Italy, with 
those advantages which savage and intrepid fero- 
city may naturally expect to obtain over a dege- 
nerate and corrupted people. 

Nice, always obedient to her successive sove- 
reigns, was important in proportion to her inter- 
ference in their different contentions. Discon- 
tented however with her governors, and attached 
to her ancient liberty, she eventually found the 
means of emancipating herself, and blending her 
interests with those of the neighbouring repubhcs. 
Shecultivated with incredible solicitude the friend- 
ship of Pisa and Genoa, who were far from being 
adverse to her advances. But the days pf her 



HISTORY OF NICE. 237 

greatest prosperity were at the time of her union 
with the house of Savoy, to which power she con- 
tinued faithful until the last war of the King of 
Sardinia with France. 

Nice, once the prey of barbarians, then exposed 
to the devastation and pillage of the perpetual 
inroads of the military into Gaul, sometimes in 
peace, but oftener obliged to seek safety in com- 
bat, presented a melancholy monument of those 
barbarous and unenlightened ages. But in defi- 
ance of these calamities, we shall observe the 
rising ameliorations of an industrious well dis- 
posed community, we shall witness all classes of 
society devoting themselves to civil or military 
pursuits, and the polish of civilization succeeding 
the ferocity of savage independence. They suc- 
ceeded in associating arts, agriculture, and com- 
merce, with other perfections ; in a word, they 
equalled all Provence in improvement. 



^SB lil STORY OP ^\Cti 

SECTION XX. 

Irruption of the goths, burgundians, ani5 
franks, into the territory of nice. 

It is difficult to determine the exact period 
when Nice was pillaged by the Goths. Hoi\'ever, 
the Gothic historians, whose testimonies 1 confide 
in, unite in affirming, that their first irruption into 
the Roman territories toot place in the reign of 
Tiberius, or perhaps yet earlier. It appears how- 
ever indubitable, that prior to this, Thrace and- 
Moesia, were victims of their depredations. The 
first invasion of the country and towns contiguous 
to Nice, according to these writers, was made by 
Goths and Vandals through Piedmont, where, as 
soon as they arrived, they sacked Grasse and An* 
tibes, towns contiguous to Nice, and their domi* 
nion extended with their success. The Vandals 
at the same time ravaged the provinces of Spain 
and Gaul, pushed their conquests through Pro- 
vence as far as the Maritime Alps, and entered into 
Italy on a part already subdued by the Goths* 
Historians suppofe that Cimiez was plundered 



History of nice. ^3§ 

and demolished by the barbarians between the 
fourth and fifth centuries. It is probable that 
Nice met with k similar fate at the same epoch. 
The system of barbarian war was slaughter and 
demolition ; no town escaped where the plunder 
was iaadequate to their cupidity, nor was that 
in all cases a sufficient safeguard. At the time 
that Italy fell into the power of the Goths, and 
the Alps were no Longer a position of importance, 
we may be assured that the towns situated on 
the otiher side of the Var were the victims of 
their success. 

When Provence was no lonsrer under the Tm- 
perial yoke, and the Goths, inhabitants of the 
country, it w^as not less exposed to the inroads of 
the Vandals, and various other tyrannical usurpers. 
These barbarians now maintaining their holds in 
the Alps, had nothing to hinder their descending 
at pleasure on the plains of Nice. They could at 
all times invade the country, near the sea, and 
the banks of the Var, and ever find a safe retreat 
in their mountainous habitations. Nice, also, from 
'ihe G?ithic, passed under the Ostrogothic, sway. 



240 HISTORY 0^ NICE. 

The conquests of Theodoric, king of the Ostro» 
goths, leaving him master of the country which 
belonged to the Visigoths, the unfortunate in- 
habitants of Provence were obliged to submit to 
the supremacy of another sovereign. This change 
was, however, desirable, as they might expect 
imuch good from the high qualities and modera* 
tion of Theodoric. 

So delightful a part of Europe, no doubt, aU 
lured by its attractions every barbarian tribe to 
endeavour to overcome, if not the whole, at 
least a part of it for themselves. The Goths, 
who had formed themselves a kingdom in the 
territory of the Gauls, found it necessary to live as 
peaceably as possible, in order to preserve what 
they had obtained, and form those political con- 
nections which were essential to their security* 
In the natural course of things, the Roman em* 
pire, after making many perilous sacrifices, ought 
now to enjoy the sweets of peace; but, alas! it$ 
misfortunes were but begun, and it seems that 
the days of its decline were the signal to ambi- 
tious and enterprising barbarity to destroy or sub% 



HISTORY OF NI<*E. 241 

due it. Provence and Italy were, at this epoch, 
the nests of innumerable adventurers, whose first 
desire was to plunder, and then to occupy 
them. The Burgundians, who had great pos- 
sessions in Gaul as well as the Goths, were an 
uncivihzed race, whose depredations yielded in 
no respect to those we have already related. 
This warlike and cruel horde, abandoning 
their native country, sprrad themselves over 
the banks of the Rhine, in the hopes of ame- 
liorating their condition. Innumerable difficul- 
ties opposed their first establishment, for being 
in perpetual hostility with the Romans, they were 
often compelled to retreat, and seek in their own 
country, or north e^-n situations, a less precarious 
abode. Their incursions along the banks of the 
Rhine took place about the second or third cen- 
tury, and by degrees they imperceptibly en- 
croached on Dauphiny, Savoy, Provence, &c. 
The' Vandals, said to be ancestors of the Bur- 
gundians, encountered likewise various ob- 
stacles in determining their residence. Dur- 
hig the Roman supremacy all parties were 

R 



24*3 HISTORY OF NlCEv 

held ill equal subjection, but as soon as that in- 
fluence diminished, and the en>perors deigned 
to court the aUiance of these barbarians, the Bur- 
gundians elected a king, who led them to con- 
quest and glory. 

Under ^his guidance they subjugated succes- 
sively Lyons, Dauphiny, Languedoc, Marseilles^ 
Aries, the greatest portion of Provence, Nice, 
and the adjacent territories, as far as the Alps ; 
the last unfortunate town fell so immediately 
under the oppression of the conquerors, that the 
traces of their ferocity are still visible, and the 
name commemorates the event. 

But the Burgundians, still more victorious 
under Gondebaud, added to their vast domi- 
nions a part of Helvetia, so fortified and 
strong that Thcodoric himself, king of the Os- 
trogoths, was not without apprehension. But 
the critical position of these two princes with 
respect to the French monarch, whose courage 
and wisdom spread terror amongst other so- 
vereigns, induced them to form an alliance. 
Gondebaud viewed with distrust the proximity 

1 



HISTORY OF NICE. 243 

of the Franks, although at the commencement 
of his reign he entertained little fear for the safety 
of the further side of the Alps. 

From all these circumstances it appears that 
the Burgundians, like the other powerful nations^ 
Overran Provence and the fertile plains of the 
Var, the Maritime Alps, as far as Daupliiny and 
Savoy, so that there can be no doubt but Nice 
was often a victim of their incursions, and ex- 
posed to the devastations and power of the con- 
querors. 

What other object could the civilized nations 
seek but their personal and territorial safety ia 
these ages of darkness and barbarity ? At this 
epoch an indefatigable pursuit of gain me- 
naced and destroyed the sciences. War, fa- 
mine, assassination, and the revolution of 
governments, were the unfortunate substitutes of 
that amelioration and humanity which had pre- 
viously existed at Marseilles. Anarchy and 
ambition armed brother against brother, father 
against son. Force was the only law, and man 
was conducted, by obeying these passions, to 

R 2 



244 HISTORY OF NICE. 

the most ferocious and unheard of excesses. 
Such was the reign of the Burgundians ir.\ 
these dehghtful countries ! Such the deplora- 
ble condition of the inhabitants!' 

The Burgundians, however, routed in their 
turn, yielded to the victorious Clovis. Gonde- 
baud had been defeated, and became tributary to* 
him. Theodoric thought it prudent to assume an 
appearance of friendship, although he secretly 
countenanced his enemies : and Alaric, who had 
been put in possession of Provence by Euric, 
dreaded a rupture with so formidable a warrior. 
Alaric had sought to ruin the reputation of Clovis, 
but fearful of the consequences of war, dispatched 
ambassadors to persuade him of his wish to main- 
tain a good understanding. The message was 
graciously received, but each prince availing^ 
himself of the prejudices of their respective 
nations, and desire for war, to which may be 
added mutual jealousy, it w^as impossible to 
prevent the flame that had long been kindling 
from bursting forth. Its effects were dreadful 
to each qf the contending parties, but the fate 



HISTORY OF NICE. 215 

of the Visigoths was determined in a battle near 
Poitiers. 

Alaric was a brave prince, and strove in the ensu- 
ing battle to rally his retreating troops, but being 
discovered by Clovis in the broken ranks, was dared 
to single combat. He accepted the challenge : the 
armies contemplated in awful anxiety the conflict 
of their leaders: each excited by his undaunted 
bravery the admiration of the soldiers, but Alaric, 
who was less robust than his adversary, yielded 
him the victory in the forfeit of his life. 

This event put the Franks ip possession ofnearly 
all the country of the Visigoths, but the Ostrogoths, 
who had now successfully engaged in war against 
Clovis, both with the view of checking his ambi- 
tion, and revenging the death of Alaric, obtained 
in 508 a transfer of a part of the kingdom of the 
Visigoths over to their sway. 

After the death of Clovis, his dominions were 
divided amongst his four sons. Thierri, to whom 
the kingdom of Metz devolved, sent his son Theo- 
debert in 534 to command an army in the south of 
France, with a view to overthrow the remaining^ 



246 HISTORY OF NICE. 

power of the Visigoths and Ostrogoths. He did not 
accomplish his object to its full extent, but yet di- 
minished the strength and resources of the enemy. 

Soon after this, Amalasuntha, the daughter of 
Theodoric, was put to death, by the order of Theo- 
dotus, wdiom that princess had generously called 
to the throne, an event which induced the 
Emperor Justinian to make war against the 
Goths, in order, as it is said, to revenge her death. 
The emperor then wrote to the Franks, and per- 
suaded Theodebert to unite with him against the 
Goths ; but the Ostrogoths having deposed their 
prince, and called to the throne Vitigez, a man of 
great military knowledge, Theodebert was prevail- 
ed upon to change sides, renounce the emperor's 
interests, and join his forces to the Gothic chief. 

With the view to confirm their alliance with the 
Franks, and secure the strenuous support of this 
formidable nation, the Ostrogoths thought it advi- 
sable to make a sacrifice of the territories which the 
Goths possessed in Provence, so that we find this 
country, by the agreement of all parties, became 
finally annexed to the crown of France. 



HISTORY OF NICE. 247 

Nice during these changes naturally underwent 
the same fate as the oiher towns of Provence, sub- 
mitting at one time to the Visigoths, at another to 
the Franks, to whom however she remained obe- 
dient, notwithstanding the incursions of the Lom- 
bards and Saracens. Thus we see the powerful 
kings of France augmenting with wonderful rapi- 
dity their dominions and their importance. Italy 
dreading them, Burgundy suffering from their 
persecution, and all circumstances contributing to 
extenuate the forces of their enemies, and to aug- 
ment their own. 

The misunderstandings which existed between 
the sons of Clotaire I. who inherited in 66\ the 
possessions of their father, created new and serious 
dissentions. The inhabitants of this country en- 
joyed but a few years of tranquilhty, after the 
conquest of Provence by the French. Besides 
the disputes of the French monarchs, other cala- 
mities menaced it. It became, however, an ob- 
ject of reciprocal advantage to them, to lay aside 
their own dissentions, and form a prudential 
alliance to oppose with energy a warlike and pe- 



248 HISTORY OF NICE. 

rilous enemy, who had already ravaged Italy, and 
who prepared to penetrate into Gaul. 



SECTION XXL 

L BILLAGE OF NICE BY THE LOMBARDS. 

The barbarous tribes of the north who traversed 
Germany, signalized their rout by the ruin of the 
towns they passed through, demoHshing the habi- 
tations, and assassinating the people wherever they 
appeared. The Lombards pushed still farther the 
depredations of the Goths and Burgundjans, and 
rendered even the despotism of these latter de- 
sirable in comparison with their own. Illyria, 
Gaul, but especially Italy, were the scene of the 
greatest calamities. But, besides the Lombards, 
says^ Diaconius, the Winih, a people of Scandi- 
navia, who are descended from them, created 
every where a solitude around them. Their first 
competitors were the Vandals, over whom they 
gained every possible advantage, and wherever for- 
tune prospered their arms, desolation and slaughter 
tittended them. 



HISTORY OF NICE. ^19 

The Lombards perceiving the ambitious in- 
tentions of the Vandals, determined on unit- 
ing with Narses,* who, at the time (559) 
was w^aging w^ar with Totila King of the 
Goths. This coahtion completely succeeded, 
and was also very advantageous for the Ro- 
mans, who found this nation of the greatest 
utility in their struggles against their enemies. 
The successes of Narses drew on him the hatred of 
Justin IL the successor, and nephew of Justinian, 
who hearing he aspired to the purple, at length dis* 
posed the court of Rome against him, which had 
been long jealous and apprehensive of his power. 
Some historians assign the irruption of the Lom- 
bards in Italy to the sohcitations of Narses to 
revenge himself on Justin, but that opinion is 
controverted by others. 

It is pretty certain, however, that Narses sent am- 
bassadors to the Lombards, to invite them to aban- 
don their wretched abode, and establish themselves 

* A Persian eunucji, first appointed to the command of 
the Roman army in conjunction with Bellsaiius, but after- 
wards made general in chief with absolute authority. 



^50 HISTORY OF NICE. 

in llie flourishing territory of Italy. He accompani- 
ed the message with different productions of the 
country. The people, delighted with the prospect, 
eagerly embraced the offer, and transported 
themselves, their wives, and children, into Italy. 

Success in various eiiterprizes augmented the 
natural courage of the adventurers, and rendered 
•them more confident in the prowess of their arms. 
They sought every where to extend their boun- 
daries, and indeed, what can oppose a people who 
derive from their victories the uncontrouled right 
of plundering the vanquished, and who delight in 
the horrors of war? 

Notwithstanding the possessions the Lombards 
had in Italy, and the security they enjoyed in 
this delightful country, their dispositions to pillage 
still incited them to new expeditions. They de- 
termined on entering Gaul, and their resolution 
of destroying every -obstacle to their progress 
caused the famous prophecy of St. Hospiti us, which 
predicted the ruin of many towns of Provence. 
This pious father lived in a monastery at Nice, and 
revealed to the inhabitants the calamities with 



HISTOB.Y OF NICE. ^51 

which Provence was menaced, announced to him 
by a revelation of the Holy Ghost. 

This celebrated Christian of blessed memory, 
whose abstinence was extreme, announced the 
arrival of the Lombards in Gaul. " They will ra- 
vage," he exclaimed," seven cities, because of their 
iniquity in the eyes of God ; their whole nation 
shall be the prey of carnage, of theft, of murder, 
without any vestige of justice : for they do not 
succour the stranger, nor support the poor, nor 
clpthe those who are naked, and these are the 
reasons that such calamities will overwhelm them." 
Convinced of the approach of these barbarians, 
"Fly,'^ cried he, to his friends, " f[y from this devoted 
spot, carry wath you all you possess, for their hordes 
advance ;" and they replied, '• O, Holy Father, we 
will not abandon you ;" but he answered, "though 
great calamities must befall me, yet they will not 
arise from them ; fear nothing for me, they will 
not even attempt at harming me." 

His colleagues by the advice of the Holy Fa- 
ther departed, and the Lombards, pillaging and 
destroying every place they passed, drew near. 



552 HISTORY OF NICE. 

When they arrived at the tower where the saint 
had retired, they endeavoured to enter it with 
respect, but Hospitius appearing at a window, 
augmented their desire to seize him, and though 
some time elapsed before they could force the 
door which conducled to his apartment, two 
soldiers more hardy than the rest burst it open, 
and perceiving him covered with sackcloth, and 
girt with a cord, they exclaimed : " Hie male- 
factor est et homicidium fecit, ideo in his ligumi- 
nibus vinctus tenetur/^ 

Hospitius, accused of homicide and other crimes 
by these barbarians, unwilling to dispute with 
them, acknowledged he was guilty of all they ac- 
cused him. One of them on hearing this confes- 
sion raised his sword over his head, and extending 
his arm to strike him, it instantly became im- 
moveable, and the sword fell from his hand. His 
companions, confounded at this miracle, offered 
up their prayers to Heaven. But Hospitius per- 
ceiving their deplorable situation, with ineffable 
goodness restored vigour to the sacrilegious arm, 
and life to its owner. The Lombards, witnesses 



HISTORY OF NICE, ^5d 

of this prodigy, were converted to the Christian 
reh'gion, and the soldier who after his cure became 
^priest, passed the remainder of his hfe on the same 
spot, devoutly fulfilling the service of the Lord. 

The saint, who before had prophesied by the 
inspiration of Jesus Christ, now addressed 
himself to two of the. Lombard generals, who, 
convinced of the truth of his exhortation, re- 
turned in safety to their country, but the rest 
perished deplorably in the defence of an unjus.t 
cause. ' 

The devastations of the Lombards here, and in 
other parts of Gaul, assuming a more serious 
aspect everj^ day, various generals in 57 1 marched 
against them with numerous armies, but perishing 
in their enterprizes, the barbarians gained a com- 
plete ascendancy. They marched over impervious 
mountains, and with sword and flame laid waste 
every thing before them. Thus the predictions 
of the saint were verified. 

Despair and disaster marked every where the 
passage of these barbarians, and all the towns 
contiguous to the Alps aii'd the Var were victimti 



254< HISTORY OF Kl'CEs 

of their fury, and the whole of Provence partook 
of the same fate. 

These successes encouraged them to undertake 
new enterprizes, though the same fortune did not 
attendj their arms hereafter. An officer of the 
name of Mummol signalized his military talents* 
by obliging them to retreat as rapidly as they had 
advanced before* 

Notwithstanding, however, this defeat, they 
again in 572 traversed the plains of Nice and 
Cimiez, pillaged these towns, and spread desola- 
tion every where in Provence, when Mummol a 
second time arrested their progress and gained a 
complete victory. He obliged them to indemnify 
all the expences of his army, and repair the mis- 
chiefs they had occasioned. 

How numerous were the calamities which 
Provence underwent in the days of the de- 
scendants of Clovisl ever engaged in war, her 
towns were pillaged, her inhabitants massa- 
cred, though the laws established by the Ro- 
man conquerors underwent but little altera- 
tion. The Lombards did more mischief of exery 



HISTORY OF NICE. 25i 

kind to this country, during their quarrels with 
the Burgundians and the Provencaux, than all the 
battles between the Goths, Franks, and the Ro- 
mans. 

Nice and all Provence had not for a long series 
of years tasted the sweets of repose, and scarcely 
knew their legitimate sovereign, until Clotaire II. 
re-united Provence to France, the former, previ- 
ously to this event, having formed a part of the 
kingdom of Burgundy. 

The French empire was then restored to tran- 
quillity, and Clotaire, who was of a peaceful dispo- 
sition and without a rival, took measures of an 
effectual nature for consolidating his interests. 
With this view, he nominated a mayor to each 
kingdom, w^ho was to hold the office for life, an 
appointment which could not fail of flattering the 
governors, and which gave them also an air of 
royalty. 

, He convoked a council at Paris, to deliberate 
on the affairs of the nation, to revise the ancient 
laws, and form such new statutes as seemed re- 
quisite. He shew^ed the greatest zeal for render- 



^56 HISTORY OF NICE, 

ing his subjects prosperous, but the best adminis- 
tration could not cover the injustice of his usur- 
pation of the kingdom of Austrasia; and the 
appointment of the offices of mayor for hfe laid 
the basis of the overthrow of the Merovingian 
kings. 

The government of Provence was nearly the 
same as in former days, but underwent some 
change with the emperors, who afterwards became 
her sovereigns. The origin of the law^s is of great 
antiquity, and may be deduced from the Jus- 
tinian code. The jurisprudence therefore of 
Nice, Marseilles, and the whole of Provence, 
originated at the court of Rome. The Gre- 
cian colonies had equally their customs and 
laws as I have already explained, previously to 
the conquest of the country by the Romans, but 
the victors granted, by degrees, the inhabitants 
of conquered countries the civil right. 



HISTORY OF NICE, §57 

SECTION XXII. 

tRRUPTION OF THE SARACENS INTO THE TERRI- 
TORY OF NICE. 

The Saracens had no sooner quitted the banks 
of Africa, than they made a descent in Spain, 
being invited, as is supposed, by Count Julian, a 
Visigoth nobleman, whose daughter King Ro- 
deric had violated, and who sought this means of 
avenging the atrocious proceedings of his sove- 
reign. 

When the barbarians had satisfied tlieir cupidity 
they passed the Pyrenees, and took several 
towns in Aquitaine and Provence, spreading 
terror on every side. They aspired to the domini- 
on of the latter country, and supported theie 
pretensions as allies of the northern nations. la 
vain they experienced defeat after defeat, the 
arms, renown, and successes of Charles Martel 
were not sufficient, after an interval of many years, 
to prevent their new devastations in Provence, 
He did, indeed, repeatedly check the career 



25S HISTORY OF NICE. 

of the infidels, and even rescued France^ 
whose annihilation seemed approaching, from 
their dominion; but notwithstanding the dread- 
ful carnage, which he and Eudes, Duke of 
Aquitaine, made, their hordes again returned, 
and universal depredation succeeded. In 
ttie 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries, Provence and 
Languedoc witnessed a renewal of those atrocities, 
which had so often signalized the track of the 
barbarians. Scarce a town escaped from pillage 
under the second race of the kings of France, 
thougli King Pepin gloriously drove them from 
the town of Narbonne, and Charlemagne obliged 
them to quit Aries with the same precipitancy. 
The victories of this great monarch taught them 
to respect and fear him ; and the French empirq 
under his reign, though a scene of bloodshed, 
gained strength, territory, and ultimately respec- 
tability. 

Constantly persecuted by the Saracens, it is 
probable the Christians fled to Nice, as the 
position of this town enabled them with some 
confidence to oppose the arms of the barbarians* 



HISTORY OF NICE? ^^9 

Authors assert that the heaps of large stones 
which are found on the mountains, are proofs of 
this opinion* 

The Saracens, however, always undaunted by 
their defeats, continued t© infest the Spanish, 
Provencal, and Itahan coasts, and became masters 
bf the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, so that 
the greatest part of those who fled to the latter 
place from Italy were victims of the enemy. 
It was an invariable rule with the Saracens, ia 
case of defeat in one spot to try their success iu 
.another ; thus, though finally destroyed in 
Corsica and Sardinia, they made a descent on 
Nice and the Etrurian shores in returning into 
Spain. 

Nice would have been too fortunate to have 
suffered but once the calamities attached to the 
Sai;acen invasion. The local advantages of the town 
invited them to new enterprizes. Different mo- 
narchs would have found there the best safeguard 
against the incursions of the barbarians, but their 
perpetual jealousies, their various pretensions 
end continual disputes, reduced the inhabitants 

s2 



^(^(^ HISTORY OF NICE. 

to a Still more calamitous situation, and even 
paved the way for the Saracen oppression. 

The Saracens remained many years in consider- 
able force in' Fraxinet, a place naturally strong, 
difficult of access, and well fortified. They re- 
tained possession of it for a great length of time, 
against the attacks of the Provencaux, and other 
Christian soldiers. Inhabiting this fortress tiU 
972, they were constantly making incursions into 
Provence, but more especially iti the territory of 
Nice, which was so contiguous. Thus this town 
was continually obliged to submit to new masters, 
and to all the horrors that such changes imply. 
Notwithstanding her natural attachment to her 
lawful princes, her loyalty was perpetually in- 
sulted by the barbarians. Yet nothing could 
shake the fidelity of her principles, and in de- 
fiance of the fury of her prevailing enemies, and 
the galling chains of despotism, she ever em- 
braced the earliest opportunity of acknowledging 
her legitimate masters. We have, it is true, seen 
Nice in uncommon misery, we have traced her 
to the tenth century through all the struggles of 



HISTORY OF NICE. 261 

barbarism, we have seen her loaded with care 
and oppression, but never yet stigmatized with 
reproach. 

It is indeed a justice due to the Nissards, to 
observe that from the earliest ages, they have ever 
merited the same eulogiums ofcourage and loyalty. 
IncHned to industry and commerce, they were by 
no means of little consideration in the mercantile 
world, and deservedly obtained the cares and 
solicitude of every monarch they obeyed. 

If the affairs of Nice, its history and antiqui- 
ties until this period are involved in obscurity, 
we cannot be much surprized, since we know that 
the Saracens have almost annihilated, by their 
repeated incursions, those monuments which 
other barbarians, before their time, had scandalous- 
ly mutilated. Nay, it cannot fail to excite our 
astonishment, that in so few years after these 
ages of barbarism, after the desolations of the Gth, 
8th, 9th, and 10th centuries, Nice should regain 
not only a certain degree of consideration, but 
even of splendour. It would seem indeed that 
she flourished amidst the horrors of war and 



262 HISTORY OF NICE. 

tyranny, instead of being obliterated from the 
page of nations. We shall trace her shortly, not 
merely recovering froni the abyss, but vying with 
other maritime towns, her alliance courted by 
some, and her enmity dreaded by all, 

Fraxinet fell into the hands of the Saracens in 
the following manner. It happened that some of 
these barbarians, not many in number, making an 
excursion in a boat between Sicily and Spain, 
were driven by a storm into a bay near Nice. 
On reaching the land they began to explore the 
country^ and discovering a castle hard by, entered 
it by night, killed the garrison, and took posses^ 
sion of it themselves. Fraxinet was situated in 
a peninsula, and commanded the sea from a lofty 
eminence. The approach of this fort was more^ 
over extremely difficult from the irregularity of 
the ways, and from a number of thorns and 
stones which formed a thick fence around it. 
The Saracens, masters of this place, began to take 
measures to reinforce themselves, and dispatched 
some of their troops to Spain, from whence they 
soon obtained assistance. The possessions of 



HISTORY OF NICE. 263 

the strangers became more and more extensive, 
their force augmented by the dissentions of the 
nations around them, and from the accidental 
seizure of a small fortress, they acquired consi- 
derable power and an extensive tract of territory. 
Reserving their more serious depredations, until 
the Christians became weakened by their quarrels, 
and their own power more confirmed, they con- 
tented themselves with the plunder of Nice, and 
the pillage of the adjoining country, and then 
pushed their ravages through a great part of 
Provence. 



SECTION XXIII. 

AFTER THE DEATH OF CHARLES, KING OF 
PROVENCE, NICE PASSES UNDER THE SOVE- 
REIGNTY OF THE KINGS and COUNTS OF ARLES. 

Heue it may be observed that the feudal 
system which originated with the Merovingian 
Kings, now gradually acquired strength and 
stability. Since the reign of Charlemagne, the 



264 HISTORY OF NICE- 

nobles had been held under very little restraint, 
and it had become customary for the sovereigns 
of the present epoch, to recompense and secure 
their adherents by the donation of estates, and 
the governments of towns, in perpetuity, by 
which means a number of petty sovereignties 
were established throughout the empire, which 
in later ages planted the standard of rebellion. 

The vast empire of Charlemagne, which had 
been divided amongst his grandsons, was now 
upon the verge of undergoing other distributions. 
The death of Lothaire, one of the sons of Louis 
the Gentle, or Debonnaire, who had been invested v 
with the dominions of Italy, Provence, and Lor^ 
raine, gave the country, whose vicissitudes we are 
tracing, a distinct sovereign. 

Having spent a hfe in restless ambition, as 
inimical to the repose as the prosperity of the 
empire, he laid aside the plumes of royalty, to 
devote the remainder of his days to the service of 
Heaven. He retired, as his end approached, to 
a monastery, and hoped by such an act of humi^ 
lity to expiate all his crimes. 



HISTORY OF NICE. ^65 

But he had no sooner divested himself of the 
cares of governing, and sought an asylum in 
sohtude, than he regretted having resigned his 
power. And although his subjects gained during 
his seclusion repose and happiness, yet ha 
wished to resume supreme authority. 

However, Provence was erected into a kingdom 
for Charles, his youngest son, by anew distribution 
of Lothaire's estates made by himself on his death 
bed, and comprised the country which is situated 
between the Durance, the Alps, the Mediterrane- 
an, and the Rhone, to which was also added the 
Duchy of Lyons. This sovereign did not, however, 
long enjoy his possessions; he commenced his 
reign in 855, and ended it in 863. 

The famous Gerard de Roussillonwa.^ appointed 
tutor to Charles the first king of Provence, by the 
Emperor Loth aire, and he so deservedly and com- 
pletely acquired the friendship and confidence of 
the young monarch, that he was called by him 
in his acts, father, nurse, and master. Indeed, 
this, great man was worthy of all the affection of 
Charles J for the zeal with which he defended him. 



266 HISTORY OF NICE. 

and for his excellent counsels upon every oc- 
casion. 

Boson, son of Theodoric, count of Autun, 
next aspired to the purple. Endowed with great 
qualities, and instigated by Hermengarde, his 
wife, who embraced every occasion of exciting 
his ambition, he became king of Provence in 879 - 
justifying his pretensions by his merits, his right, 
and the important service he had rendered the 
country. But his ostensible appearance of at- 
tention to the interests of the two young princes, 
Louis and Carloman, his mildness of disposition, 
and courteous manners, contributed more especial- 
ly to make him popular and beloved. 

His friends urged that the Carlovingian family 
was declining in fame, that the young princes, 
who reigned in Neustria and Aquitaine, required 
an able counsellor to give them advice and 
protection: finally, as Provence had laws and 
customs peculiar to itself, that it ought to remain 
a distinct kingdom. They also argued that the 
nobles and clergy would prefer to bow at the 
throne of the illustrious Boson, rather than pay 
\ 



HISTORY OF NICE. ^6? 

homage to two unexperienced youths, and that 
he alone knew how to establish a happy go* 
vernment, and was alone worthy of supreme 
power. 

Boson was, however, treated as an usurper by 
the French kings, defeated in several engage- 
ments, and besieged at Vienne, where, by valor 
and prudence, he had the good fortune to re- 
cover the estates he had lost. 

When Boson died, his subjects were equally 
zealous for the success and prosperity of his sou 
Louis, as they had been for him. They placed 
the diadem on his head, but being a weak and 
ambitious prince, he found more satisfaction in 
flattering his passions, than in studying the 
welfare of his people. Such conduct was the 
cause of his overthrow ; and although he suc- 
ceeded m being crowned Emperor and King of 
Italy, the elevation was temporary, and an awful 
forerunner of the adversity that awaited him. 
He had to submit to the misfortune of having his 
eyes put oyt, and then to the humiliation of 
seeking refuge in lii;^ first kingdom, wher^ A 



268 HISTORY OF NICE. 

nobleman of the name of Hugh had exercised 
during his absence absolute authority. 

Hugh was the first person who seized upon 
the county of Aries, a stretch of power that was 
the more easy to him, as his sovereign was de- 
fenceless and weak. Scarcely had Louis breathed 
his last, than he made himself entire master 
of the whole of his kingdom, and he became 
sovereign, without the title of it, to the prejudice 
of Louis the legitimate successor. 

But Hugh having fallen into the displeasure 
of the Itahans; who were fickle subjects, ceded 
the kingdom of Provence to Rodolph, King of 
Transjurane Burgundy. 

Hugh was induced to make this accommo* 
dation from the alarm he took at the disasters to 
which his kingdom was exposed, and from the 
inclination and threats of the Italians, to recall 
Rodolph in 913 to the head of affairs. The ex- 
change of Provence for Italy was therefore made, 
on condition that Rodolph let him remain peace- 
able possessor of the latter country ; and they 
confirmed, bj an intermarriage of their children, 



HISTORY OF NtCB. ^69 

the sojemnity of their friendship. By this treaty 
Rodolph united Provence to his other dominions, 
forming together the kingdom of Aries, of which 
he was the sovereign. 

This monarch allowed a nobleman of the name 
of Boson, who had married Berthe, daughter of 
Hugh, to be acknowledged Count of Aries, 
though he was to remain his vassal. 

Conrade the Pacific, successor of Rodolph, 
gave the county of Aries to another Boson, who 
took extreme pains to restore the strength of all the 
maritime tov/ns, which had been almost annihilated 
by the barbarians. His son William succeeded 
him, from whom descended, in a male line, the 
first counts of this country, till the reign of 
Bertrand. 

From the transmission of Provence to Rodolph, 
all classes of society seemed to be inspired with a 
love of glory ; the fine arts were prosecuted with 
vigour, and refinement of manners supplanted 
that savage ferocity which the ages of barbarism 
had imperceptibly stamped on the people. 
Austerity of conduct was softened by the pursuit 



9tO itlSTOUY OF NI€£. ' 

of literature, and politeness and a thirst of renown 
inspired men to noble achievements. A still 
greater difference, however, manifested itself in 
the character of the people during the reign of 
the next race of sovereigns. 

It is worth observing here, that the kings of 
Provence, with the exception of the first, were 
counts and dukes of the country,, who, as the 
spirit of independency manifested itself, aspired 
to the royal authonty. In proportion as they 
usurped supremacy, they nominated deputies to 
the places which they themselves held, and these 
also in turn, profiting of the weakness of their 
sovereigns, insensibly acquired independency too, 
and finally converted their appointments into 
hereditary descent. As Aries was the capital of 
Provence, it was the reason they took the name 
of Counts of Aries. Their power was yery great, 
and the major part of the nobility submitted to 
them. Some indeed, despising the dominion of 
the counts, acknowledged only the emper(5rs 
for their sovereigns, and to them alone rendered 
homage. The effects of such insubordination 



HISTORY OF NICE. 271 

was the separation of those estates from Pro- 
vence. 

We may discern in referring to the annals of 
this country, during the tenth and eleventh cen- 
turies, a gradual endeavour amongst the nobles to 
usurp petty sovereignties, and towards the close 
of this epoch they displayed their intentions more 
openly. The troubles which menaced Provence, 
whilst Bertrand II. held the sceptre, were chiefly 
caused by the efforts of this count, to vindicate 
the party of the Pope, Gregory VIL against Henry 
IV. king of Germany. The great towns, and princi- 
pally Aries, though Bertrand had submitted almost 
the whole of Provence to the Pope, acknowledged 
the title of Henry, and refused to accept the 
mandates of Bertrand. 

In the reign of Gilbert, the expedition was un- 
dertaken against the Holy Land. After the cap- 
ture of Jerusalem, the renowned Order of St 
John of Jerusalem was instituted, an order of 
such reputed advantage to the Christian world. 
The Pfovencaux claim the merit of the establish- 
ment. From amongst them was chosen a Grand 



572 HISTORY OF yiCE4 

Master, when it was on the instant of dissolution ^ 
so that its commencement ancj consistency are 
due to the efforts of the great men of Provence. 
A number of commanderies and the priory of St* 
John of Aixj are proofs of this assertion. Besides 
the commanderies of Nice, Avignon, and Gap, 
Provence boasted several similar institutions. 
After the death of Gilbert, another race of counts 
ruled over this country. 



SECTION XXIV. 

:nice is independent in uos, and has con- 
suls. SHE ALLIES WITH THE REPUBLIC OF 
PISA. 

Nice and all Provence, when transmitted by 
Rodolph to the emperors, his successors, under- 
went a material alteration. The various ameli- 
orations of civilized society, the prosecution of the 
fine arts, literature, politeness, and the thirst of 
renown, softened that austerity which the Saracen 
invasion had superinduced, and imperceptibly 



HISTORY OF NICE. ^73 

dissipated the clouds of ignorance and barbarism. 
The most memorable alteration in this country 
occurred at the accession, and during the govern- 
ment, of the Berengers. With respect to Nice, at 
this epoch, it followed the fate of the celebrated 
cities of Italy. Genoa, Lucca, and Pisa, from 
their maritime situation, had so prospered by their 
commercial relations and activity, that notwith- 
standing the troubles of Italy, they evidently sur- 
passed the rest, and sighed to lay the foundations 
of liberty, or rather tp cherish the independency 
which had already made some footing, and ac- 
knowledge no authorities but those constituted 
by their own citizens. The example pervaded 
the neighbouring towns, and these illustrious re- 
publics had the satisfaction of seeing other people 
pursue a path which conducted them to happi- 
ness and grandeur. 

Neither the vicissitudes of Provence, nor the 
perpetual change of its monarchs, had shaken the 
principles of attachment of the Nissards, to their 
monarchical government. It was the dissensions 
of the governors, the pretensions of the command- 



274 HISTORY OF NICE. 

ants to the provinces, the ambition of the nobles 
to usurp royal authority, which first excited the 
cle&ire of freedom in the bosom of those citizens, 
who lived far from the seat of government. Nice 
Lad suffered so much during the disasters of 
.Provence, that she had hermarine to re-establish, 
her commerce to cultivate, and to engage herself 
with an ally both willing and able to protect her. 
The principal cities of Provence, Aix, and Mar- 
seilles, so engrossed their sovereign's attention, that 
Nice in a remoter position was neglected and for- 
gotten. Notwithstanding the rapacity of the 
barbarians and the attacks of the pirates, commerce, 
by affording her the means of constructing vessels, 
and thus protecting her trade, would inevitably 
render her formidable. In short, the period was 
arrived that Nice was free, and she now sought 
to connect herself with other states that already 
were so. Neither ambition nor the Arragon do^ 
minion, which she despised, nor a reluctance to 
be governed, led her to disunite herself from the 
imperial yoke, but the honorable wish of partici- 
pating the independence of her neiglibours, and 



llIStORY OF NICE. 275 

^feeking consideration by the same path by which 
they had already attained it. The offers of the 
republic of Pisa were flattering to Nice ; reciprocal 
advantages made each cultivate a good under- 
Standing^ and an aUiance in 1115 was the effect 
of their friendship-. 

It was in this city that several noble personages 
©f Genoa and Pisa assembled in 1201, to settle 
the differences which then prevailed between these 
republics ; but after a tedious negotiation and re- 
luctance on both sides to come to terms of peace, 
the congress ended. Not any thing favorable 
came of this meeting ; and in a few months more 
serious disputes arose^ 



SECTION XXV. 

KIGE UNDER THE DOxMINlON OF THE 
ARRAGONESE. 

The illustrious antiquity of the counts of Bar- 
C'elooa, and the prospect of enjoying peculiar 
favors, were circumstances highly gratifying ^o 
the Provencaux in their new change oi" sovereigns. 

X 2 



27t> HISTORY OF NICE. 

Raymond Berenger I. who succeeded his father 
in 1082, was chosen in ] 1 12 for the husband of 
Douce. He was one of the most potent princes 
near Provence, and possessed both the power 
aqd ability of conducting the government of this 
country* The marriage was solemnized between 
them under the auspices of Giberge, and by right 
of his queen, he became inheritor of Provence. 
Douce was the daughter of Gilbert and Giberge, 
and became mistress of this country by the par- 
tiality of its legitimate heiress, her mother, then 
widow queen. The Count of Barcelona had no 
sooner become the defender of the rights of Douce, 
than he commenced hostilities with the Count of 

4 

Toulouse, who was determined to dispute the 
claims of his queen to Provence. His rival was 
a formidable one ; he had brought over to his 
interests several noblemen of distinction ; and 
thus strengthened, many engagements ensued with 
nearly equal advantages. The two counts per- 
ceiving that this kind of warfare only setyed to 
exhaust their resources, without deciding in favor 
of either, thought it most advisable to terminate 



HIStORY OF NICE. 2?/ 

the dispute by negotiation. A treaty was soon 
concluded J wherein it was stipulated that either 
should adopt the other in case of failure in the 
regular succession. 

During the dominion of the Berengers, an infi- 
nitely austerer mode of government was adopted. 
Timidity or caution had previously prevented that 
usurpation of authority, which the boldness of the 
Berengers assumed. They gradually seized all the 
prerogatives of royalty under the different pro- 
gressive titles of Count, Marquis, Duke. They 
then ventured on the investiture of lands, the pro- 
tection of the church, and the assumption of" By 
the grace of God," of which the annals of their' 
country are not wanting in proofs. The preten- 
sions of the emperors repressed temporarily the 
spirit of the counts. From one step, however, 
they proceeded to another, till at length they 
assumed the title of majesty, with the addition of 
'^ Gratia Dei." The counts of the first race 
could never obtain permission to stamp coin * with 

* Until this epoch Roman coin had been the current money, 
both at Nice and all the towns throughout Provence. It con- 



^78 A 1 STORY OF NICE. 

the emblems of sovereignty, though the emperor 
Conrade III. during the second race, granted that 
privilege to Raymond de Baux, in 1146, when 
he invested him with Provepce, 

Notwithstanding, however, these amicable ar- 
rangements, the country enjoyed repose for a few 
years only ; dissentions and discontent prevailed 
amongst the nobles, and in 1 122, a civil war broke 
out between Alphonso Count of Toulouse, and 
the Count of Provence. The cause of the rupture 
was the pretensions of the former to this country 
by his marriage with Faydide. He flew to arms 
ip order to confirm his right ; the Count of Pro*. 
verjce also, on his part, availed himself of his 

sisted of Othonian, and Melgorian sols : in latter ages the sols 
Provencq.ux were called sols royauof, and when the Counts of 
Forcalquier coined, there were the sols RaimondinSy and the 
sols Gulielmins, This money retained its worth to the full 
amount, till the time of Charles le Boiteux, when it lost 
Something of its value from the circumstanpe of Philip the 
Handsome causing the allay to be diminished in the coin of 
France. 

Other sols wpre afterwards coined, double the value of thos^ 
above, which occasioned the former sols to be called, and con- 
sidered, pelite monnoie. It was the custorn to reckon by d€- 
^ierSy spls, and livreSf and in succeeding ages by llorIns„ 



\ HISTORY OF NICE, 279 

force to preserve what was the dowry of his queen, 
but after a few skirmishes an accommodation took 
place. Raymond and Douce ceded to the 
Count of Toulouse several castles, and their pre- 
tensions on that part of Provence situated between 
the Durance and the Isere, only reserving a right 
over Avignon and some other towns. On the other 
hand, Alphonso abandoned all his pretensions to 
this part of Provence. Nothing could be more 
desirable than such a negotiation, as it embraced 
the interests of two princes who were generally on 
Jtiostile terms. 

But in spite of this, the political situation of 
Provence at the accession of Raymond Berenger 
the young to the throne foreboded many troubles, 
and but for the wisdom, moderation, and virtue 
of his uncle the Count of Barcelona, Raymond 
Berenger IV. would have experienced the want 
of an able defender. The new war which had 
been kindled between Berenger Raymond, the 
father of the young prince, and Raymond de Baux, 
r?ow became more alarming. The distance of 
\he late count from the seat of government, had 



280 HISTORY OF NICE. ' 

given an opportunity to his enemies to promote 
faction : the people, at this moment, hailed the 
Count of Toulouse, and wished to see him sove* 
reign, probably from the idle hope of profiting by 
a revolution. The uncle of the young count caused 
the states to be convened in 1145 at Tarascon^ 
and when he entered Provence, received from all 
descriptions of people the assurances of submission 
and fidelity. With the view also of completing his 
projects, and supporting a helpless child, he as- 
sumed the title of Marquis of Provence; conceiv- 
ing by such a measure, that he should intimidate 
those who encouraged revolt, and cherished fac- 
tion.; He defended his nephew's interests during^ 
th-e minority with the most dignified disinterest- 
edness and care, reduced some revolted nobles, 
vanquished others who were too powerful, released 
the oppressed, and governed with great discrimi- 
nation. Raymond de Baux was beaten several 
times, deprived of nearly all his estates, and so 
much reduced as to have no hopes of recovering 
his patrimony, but in the conqueror's clemency, 
lie was obliged to ask for peace, which the count 
I 



HISTORY OF NICE. , 281 

granted him on the most honourable and advan- 
tageous terms, restoring him all the places he had 
taken daring the war, and reinstating him, on the 
condition of rendering homage to the Count of 
Provence his nephew. When his authority seem- 
ed to be established on a solid basis, the Count 
of Barcelona departed for his own estates, and led 
Berenger with him, confiding in the nobility to 
support the cause of the young monarch. In this 
they were so unanimous, that Raymond de Baux 
was ever after disconcerted in his projects, and 
compelled to adopt a new system to revive his 
drooping interests. Raymond Berenger was thus 
possessor and absolute master of Provence, from 
the Durance to the Mediterranean, and from the 
Rhone to the Alps. Indeed, such was his power, 
that no rival now dared to contest it with him. 
The death of this great prince, which hap- 
pened in 1162 at St. Dalmas, when he was going 
to ratify the treaty he had concluded, left Ray- 
mond Berenger the young in great perplexity. 
He had many obstacles to surmount, which to 
avert required his micle's skill. The revolt of 



2S2 JIISTORV OF KIC£. 

Nice compelled him to decline the war, which he 
proposed vvagiog against the Count ofForcalquier, 
and occupied all his attention. Berengef besieged 
%e town in 1 166, but the Nissards made so vigor- 
ous a resistance, that after strenuous efforts on 
both sides, he was obliged to quit his enterprize, 
highly dissatisfied with so mortifying a repulse. 
Some historians assert, that he perished in the 
siege, though it is controverted by others, and 
even said, that he was alive in 1 167. 

No sooner bad the citizens of Ni'ce recovered 
fi^om the severities of the siege undertaken by 
Berenger, who would neither regard their entreaties 
Dor their offers, than they sought an alliance with 
the Genoese. Their vicinity to Italy, and the 
gjtates of the latter people, joined to the probabi- 
lity of deriving immediate succour from so powers 
ful an ally, tempted her to court their friendship, 
Risking therefore every thing, and despising all 
past dangers, she deterndined on remaining free, 
and coalescing with a neighbo^3•ing power. Genoa 
gladly offered her protection^ which the Nissards 
m gladly embraced. 
3 



HISTORY OF NIGE. 283 

Douce was the only daughter and heiress of 
Eaymond Berenger II. and had been promised ia 
marriage by her father to the Count of Toulouse, 
J3ut the solemnization not taking place, the Count 
inarried her mother Richilda, in order to confirm 
his usurpation. Alphonso II. king of Arragon, 
and cousin of Douce, dissatisfied at this proceed- 
ing, determined to contest tlie claim which the 
Count of Toulouse now had to Provence by his 
late alliance. He soon entered the country at 
the head of ^ large army, and complete success 
^trending his first euterpri;5es, he ah'eady looked 
upon himself as the spvereign of tire cppntry, and in 
i 1 68 he gave it to hjs brother Raymond Berenger 
JII. on condition that fie should restore it when- 
ever he made jthe demand. Thus, master of Pro- 
yence, and having many troops at disposal, h@ 
joined his two brothers, and directed his march 
towards Nice^ to revenge on the inhabitants 
the defeat of Raymond Berenger the young. 
Jhe approach of the troops alarmed the Nis- 
sards, and submission was their only safe alter- 
f^ative. The citizens went to the banks of the 



584 HISTORY OF NICE* 

Var, and by imploring pardon of Alphonso, and 
promising obedience in future, the king was 
pleased to listen to theiif entreaties, allowed them 
to take the oath of fidelity, and granted them his 
protection, on condition of their paying a sum of 
money. 

The emperor Frederic, having come to Pro^ 
vence in 1178, confirmed the rights of Alphonso, 
and re-established his own, by causing himself to 
be crowned king of Provence with the empress 
and his son Philip, in the cathedral of Aries. 

There is a charter, dated June, 1176, wherein 
Alphonso confirms to the town, the " ConsulatuHi, 
consuetudines, et usus cum omnibus justiciis.^' 
He renewed the grant, by an act bearing date 
October, 11 88, and this happened from the circum- 
stance of the inhabitants forming a new alliance 
with the republic of t^isa, the 29th of March, of 
the same year. So strong was, it appears, their 
hatred to the dominion of the Arragons. 



HISTORY OF NICE. f85 



SECTION XXVI. 

NICE IS AGAIN DETACHED FROM HER SOVE- 
REIGNS, AND FORMS ALLIANCES WITH VARIOUS 
REPUBLICS. 

As Pisa and Genoa were the two most 
flourishing republics of Italy, in the twelfth 
and thirteenth centuries, it is natural to imagine 
their jealousy augmented in proportion to their 
prosperity. Their relative situations, their com- 
merce, and even their celebrity, were circum- 
stances which caused suspicion in peace and ex- 
asperation in war. They were both of great 
maritime force, strong in internal policy, and 
courageous in battle, and both equally eager to 
embrace any cause of rupture. 

An aUiance therefore was soon formed between 
the Pisans, Nissards, and the republics of Pro- 
vence; wliTch latter, were ready, from policy, to 
defend the Pisans against the Genoese, for the ob- 
vious reason of their having acquired such an 
ascendancy over their neighbours. 



^'SG HlStORY OP NICEi 

In 1^09, they declared for the Pisans, and seiit 
eight galleys to their assistance ; but William 
Embriachi, whom the senate of Genoa had dis- 
patched With an equal number, jittafck^d them 
with so much success, that he captured seven of 
their vessels, and obliged the Provencaux to sue 
for peace. Hugh Debaux, with ten Marseillois 
gentlemen, were dispatched to Getioaj arid a treaty 
of peace very advantageous for the republic was 
concluded. Vintimiglia, of which we have spo- 
ken in a preceding part of the work, supported 
a long siege against the Genoese^ but being re- 
duced to the lowest extremity, was obliged to 
capitulate in 1222. This, however, formed but 
one of the many exploits, which about this period 
redounded to the honor of the Genoese arms. 
The inhabitants of Nice threw themselves on the 
clemency of the senate, after being informed that 
eight galleys were destined against them. 

The Genoese availing themselves of the peac6^ 
with the Pisans, sent emissaries to Nice, in order 
to reconcile the trifling differences which yet 
existed between them. The senate, says an his« 



HISTORY OF NICE. 537 

torian, had another object in view, that of receiv- 
ing the oath of fidehty from the Nissarda, and 
giving orders for the erection of a fort on the summit 
of the mountains, in order to convince them that 
what they could not acquire by negotiation j thej 
would by^arms. It does not, however, appear 
correct, that Nice gave herself to the Genoese. 
She made a treaty of alliance with them, for their 
common defence, which lasted till the year 1229. 

TheNissards, previously to detaching themselves 
from their sovereigns a second time, which occurred 
in 1215, reduced into a code all the municipal laws^ 
and gave an independent form to the government. 
This code was compiled in 1205, from which pe- 
riod may be dat;ed the desire to manifest their free- 
dom once more. 

Nice, allied with Genoa, for the space of several 
years defied the menaces of Raymond Berenger 
IV. who saw with a jealous eye the independent 
spirit of the Nissards. Notwithstanding the siege 
of several of the revolted towns, undertaken by 
Berenger, and >h!s insisting on the immediate alle- 
giance of all the nobles and cities, the Nissards 



2SS HISTORY OF NICE. 

maintained their liberty; and it was not until 
after the reduction of Marseilles and Avignon, that 
Nice acknowledged the supremacy of the con- 
queror. This event occurred in 1229, and after 
the complete subjection of the country, Berenger 
appointed as governor, Romee de Ville-neuve, who 
had assisted him in the wars of Provence with 
such exemplary fidelity, a man of excellent reputa- 
tion and enlightened mind. 

The illustrious Berenger, who had shewn him- 
self worthy of immortal glory for his liberal pa- 
tronage of the sciences, died in 1245, leaving his 
subjects to regret his virtues^ moderation, and 
valour. 

The court of this prince had been the center of 
politeness, and during his reign, Provence acquir- 
ed celebrity for the gallantry, and urbane manners 
of the inhabitants. Berenger was the founder of 
the town of Barcelonetta in the Alps, of which 
we have already spoken ; and in him ended the 
(sovereignty of the Arragons over Nice. 



HISTORY OF NICE. 289 

.1 



SECTION XXVL 

NICE UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF THE HOUSE 
OF ANJOU, AND THE KINGS OF NAPLES. 

From the dominion of the Berengers, Nice 
passed to that of the family of Anjou. Beatrix, 
the youngest daughter of Berenger^ who had 
married Charles, the brother of St. Louis, was 
heiress of Provence. The amiable disposition of 
this princess had endeared her to the Provencatix, 
who gave every token of joy and satisfaction at 
seeing her succeed to her father's estates. Their 
predilection to her was very conducive to the 
interests of her husband, who was shortly after 
declared heir and Count of Provence. The king 
of France, gratified by the jiUiance of his brother, 
promised him protection, and as a mark of his 
approbation, united to his other estates the 
counties of Anjou and Maine. 

From this epoch, however, until 1382, the 
history of Nice offers nothing remarkable. In 
that year Joan, the eldest daughter oT Charles 

u 



290 HISTORV OF NICE. 

Duke of Calabria, succeeded her unCle Robert in 
the county of Provence, and the kingdom of 
Naples. 

This princess, anxious to avert the calamities 
which had, during several years, menaced her 
estates, adopted even as early as 1S80, Louis I. 
duke of Anjou, and made him her legitimate 
successor. She sought ia \he alliance of the 
Duke an antidote to the mischief, nor did she 
doubt, from the inclination of this prince to be- 
come sovereign of Provence, of his accepting her 
proposal of being chosen her successor. She then 
convened the nobility, and the deputations of the 
various towns of the Kingdom, and publicly adopt- 
ed the duke. Joan trusted by this alliance, 
to employ the principal forces of France in her 
behalf. The duke received the news of the 
solemnization with extremest joy, and desired 
to evince his gratitude by the grandeur of his 
actions. 

The Provencaux did not certainly shew unani- 
mous approbation atthe adoption of the duke, and a 
party even formed itself for Charles de Duras, 
3 



HISTORY OF NICE, S9 1 

whom the quefhhad excluded from the kingdom of 
the two Sicilies, and from the county of Provence, 
Joan first ensured the succession of her estates to 
Charles, but as she afterwards formed new alU- 
ances, and Charles, in the sequel, gave proofs 
of strong attachment to the king of Hungary, 
her enemy, she disinherited him and secured 
the protection of France, by adopting the 
Duke of Anjou. It may, however, be neces* 
sary to observe here, that Charles remained 
firm to the queen's interests until she mar- 
ried Otho, the eldest son of the Duke of 
Brunswick, a measure inimical to his views, and 
at which he took umbrage. From that time 
Charles indignantly quitted the queen's party, 
and became her most formidable enemy. They 
who espoused the Duke of Anjou^s interests, 
pleaded his natural right to the crown from the 
queen's adoption, a right inherent in the sovereign. 
They insisted on his virtues, valour, and wisdom, 
and the atrocious ingratitude and crimes which 
had sullied the career of his competitor. Tb« 
friends of Charles argued that successions could 



- 9 



f9^ HISTORY OF NICE. 

not depend on caprice, but on proximity of blood, 
in the eyes of the Provencaux, so renowned for 
fidelity to their lawful sovereign. 

They censured the conduct of Louis at the 
siege of Tarascon, they reprobated his ravages at 
Aries, and stigmatized him as a mere usurper. 
In short, the popukce, the most numerous part 
of the community, declared for Charles, and Louis 
was obliged to confirm his right by arms. 
Nice was very conspicuous on this occasion, and 
supported with vigour the party of the former. 
Louis, however, submitted almost all Provence, 
but died without taking possession of the king- 
dom of Naples. 

When he heard that Joan w^as beslesred in a 
castle, near that city, by Charles, he quitted Pro- 
vence with a large army, in order to rescue his 
benefactress. His intentions were laudable, though 
he did not enjoy the satisfaction of seeing them 
realized. He had no sooner commenced the ex- 
pedition, than the troops under his command 
were assailed by disease, his friends either were 
ynable, or did nut choose, to support him, and 



HISTORY OP NICE. 293 

he could not procure succours of any kind. In 
this critical state he was apprised of the murder of 
Joan, which circumstance so much exasperated 
his other misfortunes, that he died broken-hearted 
in September, 1384. 

Louis 11. of Anjou, succeeded his father, but 
as he was very young5 he was put under the 
guardianship of Mary de Blois his mother. His 
minority gave an opportunity for faction to fer- 
ment, and the queen apprehensive that delay 
might weaken the affections of bis subjects, and 
enable the discontented to strengthen their in- 
terest, conducted him to Avignon, where Pope 
Clement YIT. invested him with the kingdom of 
Naples- They also compelled this young prince 
to declare, that he would never make peace with 
Charles de Duras, a traitor, and the murderer of 
their beloved queen. 

But notwithstanding the subjection of Provence 
by Louis L the party of Charles was very active, 
for relying on the justice of this prince's claims 
to Provence, they formed several great coalitions, 
i^yhilst Louis brought to his standard a number of 



^94» HISTORY OF NICK. 

gentlemen, and with them the towns of Arle^, 
and Marseilles. There can be no doubt, but th^ 
conduct of Charles was impeachable* The mur- 
der of Joan tarnished a life, which otherwise 
would have adorned the annals of history. The 
Proven caux, however, always displayed great 
partiality for him, and his succession was indis- 
putably legitimate* The hour of Charles ap- 
proached, for being invited to a banquet by some 
nobles after the death of Louis I. he was assassi- 
nated in 1386, in the same manner that Queen 
Joan had been before him* 

An opportunity now offered for Otho, the last 
husband of Joan, to revenge upon Charles's wi- 
dow, and the helpless Ladislaus, the three years 
imprisonment he had endured by Charles's order, 
and the shocking murder of his queen. He 
quickly joined the partisans of Louis, put himself 
^t the head of his troops, and after gaining a sig- 
tial victory^ compelled Margaret to seek safety in 
flight. This event was certainly highly glorious 
to Otho, but his good fortune from this time 
seemed again to desert him. Either the reputa* 



HISTORY OF NICE. 29i 

tion that the victory obtained him, or the undue 
advantage he took of it, prejudiced him in the eyes 
of Mary, who sought every occasion of mortify- 
ing his pride, and moreover deprived him of his 
post of captain -general But piqued at the ingra- 
titude of the queen, he took up arms against her, 
and espoused the cause of Ladislaus her rival. 

Nor did Margaret; vi^idow of the deceased Charles, 
neglect during this period to have Ladislaus his 
son, though but ten yeai's of age, crowned king. 
At the same time, however, faction was aug- 
menting its forces every day. Almost all Pro- 
vence had submitted to the Duke of Anjou, and 
since the partisans of the late monarch saw that 
their efforts had hitherto been useless, and that 
their hopes from Ladislaus his son were not likely 
to encourage them to persevere, they began to 
desert his standard. Besides which, the queen 
his mother was without interest,l3u| ambitious, and 
iinable to make any resistance, so that the Pro- 
vencaux generally acknowledged Louis for their 
sovereign. 

When Cpiarles fell, his friends fell tQQ, and the 



296 • HISTORY OF NICE. 

death of the father was the ruin of the son. La- 
dislaus was abandoned and left to struggle with a 
host of foes, when valour combined with judg- 
ment, .might, if not have fixed him on the throne, 
at least, have disconcerted and harassed his ene- 
mies, and attached to his name brilliant recollec- 
tions. But this prince, though very young, dis- 
played much presence of mind at Naples, and 
teceived homage from many noblemen, as well as 
marks of felicitation from the people. Yet too 
weak to resist the efforts of his enemies, and dis- 
gusted by the conspiracies of the Neapolitans, he 
quitted their towns and returned to Provence. 

'Nice alone undertook the generous defence of 
this sovereign, and though besieged by the Count 
of Savoy in favor of the Duke of Anjou, bravely 
maintained the contest until all her forces wiere ex- 
hausted. Seeing herself at length on the point of 
falling into the power of the duke, she sent two 
deputies to Ladislaus, to expose to him her ex- 
treme distress, and the necessity of being quickly 
succoured. Ladislaus having numerous enemies 
(to encouriterj had scarce forces enougfi to oppose 



HISTORY OP NICE. ^97 

to them, for the preservation of the kingdoms of 
Naples and Hungary, and consented for the town 
and county of Nice to submit to a prince of 
their own choice, excepting the Duke of Anjou, 
on condition that he should be reinstated in his 
rights over the county, if he returned in three 
years to re-emburse the expences it had cost the 
inhabitants during the siege. The choice was 
Boon made; the royal house of Savoy had the 
preference. 



SECTION XXVII. 

HOUSE OF SAVOY RULES OVER NICE, 

Such was the origin of the claim, which the 

house of Savoy had to the sovereignty of Nice, 

and the reason that the successors of that throne 

I 
had an indubitable right to it. In 1 388, Amadaeus 

VII. was elected sovereign, and a few years 

after Amadaeus VIII. succeeded, and took the oath 

of fidelity accordingly. Amadaeus VIII. sur- 



S9S HISTORY OF NICJEc 

named the red, aware, however, of the slight bond 
which united Nice to this crown, availed himself 
of the opportunity to secure it on a surer basis. 
He saw that seizing it from Ladislaus, or main- 
taining it under the pretensions of the house of 
Anjou, were no stable engagements. A precari- 
ous title, or the avowal of usurpation, were 
far from being agreeable to the feelings of Ama- 
daeus. He therefore addressed himself to Louis 
III. when he could not well advance money 
for the defrayment of the expences incurred 
during the w^ars of Naples, at the same time 
taking admirable care to remind him of his former 
services, and the claims which he undoubtedly had 
for such immense sums. A demand of this na- 
ture was well calculated to astonish the king, who 
was both young and little aware of the selfish in^ 
terest of individuals. In this posture of affairs, 
and fearing that he might be interrupted in the 
preparations for his voyage, he begged of Yolanda, 
his mother and tutress, to arrange it. Negotiation 
seemed to be the only way which promised sue* 
cess, ?md the queen therefore chose that methodi 



HISTORV OF NICE. ^99 

She was anxious to make the duke feel the 
little right he had to his claim, and deemed 
that it would be advisable to make him know it 
as soon as could be with due precaution. A con- 
ference was proposed to the duke, and accepted 
by him with great eagerness, who, at the same 
time, expressed that all differences ought to be 
compromised between allies. 

Were it not rather foreign to my purpose, to take 
a retrospect of the events which have contributed to 
the rise of the extraordinary reputation of the house 
of Savoy, during several years prior to the acquisi- 
tion of Nice, I should have joyfully undertaken the 
task. They who may feel an interest in the subject, 
would meet with ample satisfaction, by referring 
to the reign of Amadaeus VI. under whom the 
Savoyards, and inhabitants of the adjoining states, 
daily acquired prosperity, strength, and energy; 
and this because every petty potentate and 
powerful emperor began to court the cx>unt's 
aUiance and friendship, and referred to his 
counsels the decision of the weightiest d'ls- 



SOO HISTORY OF KICE. 

On the 5th of October, 1419, the Duke of Savoy 
secured Nice, Villa-franca, and their dependencies 
for sixty-four thousand Hvres, and declared himself 
creditor for fifteen thousand florins of gold. He 
only allowed four months for paying it in. 

Rene, King of Naples, entertained some hopes 
of recovering Nice, over which he pretended he 
had a right, and concerted measures for the pur- 
pose of weakening the claim which the Duke 
of Savoy now indisputably had to it. The king 
Was deeply afflicted at the late transaction of the 
duke, whose usurpation \\ad become insupportable 
in his eyes. His silence no longer authorised the 
act, and he determined to represent the futility of 
the duke's pretensions, and the illegality of the 
possession ; but as his words were not backed by 
force, he was obliged to be satisfied with making 
this formal effort. Nice, its dependencies, and 
the valley of Barcelonetta were all demanded ; 
but the Duke of Savoy, as might be imagined, 
replied, — I possess these lands by a good and just 
title: my right, and peaceable possession of them, 
will assure them to me against the pretensions qf 



HISTORY OF NICE. 301 

Others. The king had no army to support his 
claim, and was obliged to submit to this mortify- 
ing answer. 

The first care of the new sovereigns was to 
attach the Nissards to them by their beneficence : 
they ordered the fortifications of the castle, which 
the Berengers had commenced, to be continued, 
and increased them to such an extent, that from 
the beginning of the sixteenth-century, the castle 
was called the bulwark of Italy. 

In L533,Pope Clement VII. desirous of bringing 
about an interview between Francis I. King of 
France, and Charles V. Emperor of Germany, m 
order to reconcile and estabHsh a solid peace be- 
tween these two monarchs, asked the castle and 
town of Nice, of Charles III. for the purpose. He 
begged to have them without a garrison, and 
promised to restore them as soon as the interview 
should end ; but as the Pope wished to put a gar- 
rison of his own there during that time the duke 
rejected the proposal. His highness offered to 
place a strong guard in the town for the security 
of His Holiuessj and to command it in person, 



$0^ HISTORY OT KICE* 

but would not consent to give up the castle. In 
consequence of this refusal, the meeting was fixed 
at Marseilles, where the Pope had the supreme 
felicity of gratifying his pride, by concluding the 
marriage of his niece Catharine de Medicis, with 
the Duke of Orleans. 

It must be admitted, that a decision made be* 
tween the Pope and the ambassadors of France 
at Bologna of the above nature, could not be very 
agreeable to the feelings of the duke; for, what- 
ever might be his highnesses wish to oblige the 
Pope, and to assist in making peace between the 
two monarchs, it would have been a sacrifice too 
great, and too dear to his interests, to have com- 
plied with such a request. 

The king took umbrage at Charles's conduct 
and obtained a bull of Paul III. by which his 
holiness suppressed the Bishopric of Bourg, to 
mortify the duke, who had caused its re-establish- 
ment. It is singular, that Charles should not 
make an effort to prevent its execution ; on the 
contrary, he seemed to acquiesce in its ful mi na- 
tion. His highn^ii'j;* affairs by no means went 



HISTORY OF KICE* 303 

on smoothly, for the revenge of Francis augment- 
ed daily, and the Swiss threatened him with a 
rupture* He was shortly after desired to with- 
draw his troops from Geneva, or to expect a de- 
claration of war, as well from the Swiss as the 
French. The duke w^as willing bo continue the 
peace if possible, and consented to go to Aoust, 
in order to negotiate with the Swiss ambassa- 
dors, but when they demanded the toleration of 
the new religion in Germany, the conference 
ended. 

In 153^, the French king declared war against 
him, which is attributed to a variety of causes. 
Some persons presume the reason of hostilities was 
the duke^s refusal to give him up Nice, and tlie 
places which were the rights of succession of 
Louisa of Savoy his mother, and of which he was 
heir : that the duke had accepted the investiture 
of the county of Asti, ancient patrimony of the 
house of Orleans, and that he had offered to 
abandon to the emperor all his possessions from 
Nice to Geneva, on condition of being compen- 
sated with other lands in Italv. 



S04 hisfDR4^ o^ i!!!i6t. 

To these reasons, may be added another, more 
powerful than any. Revenge being natural to 
man, and jealousy one of the most inveterate 
causes, it is not surprising that they, who^e in- 
terests are blended with the obnoxious person, 
should fall the victims of resentment. Charles 
and Francis hated each other, and the latter could 
not bear to see the duke a partisan of his enemy. 
Whatever suspicions the French king might en- 
tertain of the duke's partiality to Charles, he no 
longer wanted a proof to corroborate it, when Nice 
was refused for the place of interview of his ma- 
jesty and the Pope. 

But Francis should have remembered, although 
these circumstances were proofs of the duke's 
preference for Charles, that he had also received 
marks of friendship. The passage of the king's 
troops into Italy had always been allowed through 
his territory, and every assistance was given to 
expedite and ensure their march thither* 

The offer of resigning this town, which was the 
entry into Italy from Provence, Geneva likewise, 
on the other confines, to Charles for an equiva- 



HISTORY OF NICE. 305 

lient elsewhere, were circumstances that irritated 
Francis exceedingly. 

The duke, perceiving the king's resentment, 
and being driven to the last resource, determined 
on fortifying Nice in the strongest way possible, 
Whither he was obliged to retire with the duchess 
in hopes of better days, since nothing favorable was 
likely to happen, while his estates were constant- 
ly w^avering between the French and the Austrians : 
for what one of these powers had to-day it lost 
to-morrow, so difficult was it to know who was 
the master of each province. 

To Charles's numerous misfortunes, another 
iiow added new chagrin. Beatrix of Portugal, 
his queen, diecJ at Nice^ which afflicted him 
deeply, as the news was unexpected, and they 
had always lived in perfect harmony^ 

A few days after this, in 1538, Paul IIL made 
the same demand of the Duke of Savoy for the castle 
bf Nice, as Clement VII. had done, and for a similar 
conference between him and the two rival sove- 
reigns. As soon-as the emperor arrived at Villa- 
franca, he also sent deputies to the duke to dis- 



306 HISTORY OF NICE. 

/ 

pose him to lend his imperial majesty the castle, 
for forty days, for the purpose specified, which 
was granted him. The galleys of the emperor 
were dispatched to Savona, to conduct the Pope 
to Nice, and it was proposed to the duke to give 
up the castle to the Pope^s son, who was then in 
the town under the guarantee of the emperor, for 
its being dehvered up at the expiration of the time 
stipulated. The duke, however, was resolved to 
cede it to nobody but the emperor himself, and 
accordingly dispatched deputies to Villa-franca, to 
inform the emperor of his determination. On the 
16th of May, the Baron de Menthon and La 
Guiche arrived at Nice, charged with a message 
from the king, that if the duke gave up the castle 
to the Pope, he would not come. The day folI(^w- 
ing, the duke determined on going to Villa-franca, 
Hi order to confer with the emperor, as he was 
afraid of offending him, or the king. The emperor 
replied, that it was no longer time to deliberate, 
that his imperial majesty had engaged the Pope 
on the duke's word, and that he must execute 
what he had promised. Upon this, the duke set 



HISTOIIY OF NICE. 3^7 

off to Monaco and invited the Pope, who was 
there, to come to Nice, assuring his hohness of a 
lodging in the castle, though it should be against 
the king's wish. 

But the Nissards, fearing lest the castle should 
be cjeiivered to the Pope, and acting either by se- 
cret orders from the duke, or by their own im- 
pulsion, took up arms, carried the gates of the fort- 
ress and the town, established guards in every 
quarter, preferring rather to be buried in the 
ruins of the city than admit foreign troops. They 
pretended that their privileges authorized them to 
repulse from their walls any troops but those of the 
duke. The inhabitants interiit on their design, took 
the Prince of Piedmont in their arms, and carried 
him to the castle, rending the air with the shouts 
of " Jong live Savoy." Many of them shut them- 
selves in the garrison, determining to stand or fall 
by their yomig prince. Emanuel Pliilibert, for 
that was the name of the child, being conductdd 
to the citadel, and perceiving a model of the 
castle in wood, exclaimed amidst the tumult, 
«« Why are you so perplexed ? Since we have 

X 9 



SOS HISTORY OF NICE. 

two fortresses, ]et us give them the wooden Ofie^ 
and keep the other for ourselves, without suffer-^ 
inganybod}* to enter. '^ This exclamation from a 
cliild of twelve vears of a^e excited laus3:hter, and 
added new courage to the garrison. The Pope 
iindiiig what was the determination of the Nis- 
sards, lodged in a monastery out of the town. 

The duke on his part sent deputies to the em- 
peror, to apologize for the conduct of the garrison^ 
but Charles expressed his displeasure, as he imagin- 
ed it to be a stratagem of the duke's. Other depu- 
ties were sent to the Pope for the same purpose* 
His Holiness gave them proofs of being highly 
offended, and soon grew impatient in consequence 
of the king's absence. 

Wishing to soften as much as possible theevent^ 
which had so recently occurred, the duke offered 
to give the Pope the town of Nice for his better ac- 
commodation ,but the inhabitants would not suffer it. 

In this posture of affairs, the Pope and emperor 
held a conference under a pavihon, hence the 
construction of a marble pillar, called the Croix de 
Marbre, to commemorate this event, when th« 



HISTORY OF XICE. S09 

stfrival of messeDgers at Nice assured his HoiiDess 
of the king's being on Lis road thither. On the 
3d of June, the duke had the honor of paying a. 
visit to the French king, who was also lodged at 
a short distance from Nice. 

At this time the Queen of France likewise came 
here to see the Pope, and went afterwards to pay 
a visit to the emperor at A^illa-franca. A curious 
circumstance occurred ; bridges w^re formed from 
the queen's galleys to the shore, in order to faci- 
litate the landing, at the end of which were the 
emperor, the duke, and a number of noblemen to 
receive her majes^- ; but as the queen approached, 
the bridge gave way, and all fell into the sea, an 
d£^ir which began in consternation, but termi- 
nated in laughter. 

The emperor remaiiied at Yilia-fraDcaj but 
never saw the king. The Pope alone negotiated, 
sometimes with one, then with another, but the 
only success attending his mediation, was a truce 
of ten years, called the truce of Nice, between the 
two princes, and the taking measures for convok- 
ing ihe council gf Trent. 



310 HISTORi' OF NICE. 

Thus, Nice appointed the seat of conference, 
became the conspicuous theatre of negotiation, 
between the two greatest monarchs of the age^ 
The re-union of the Pope, emperor, king and 
queen, in the town of Nice gave it a new consi- 
deration. 

Ail the powers of Italy anxiously desired a 
peace, but the prince to whom it was most ne- 
cessary was the Duke of Savoy, whose estates 
were almost annihilated. Some historians go 
so far ^s to say, that it had been in contempla- 
tion to make a desert of Piedmont, in order 
to prevent the French from penetrating into Italy. 
But it woulji be difficult to persuade an impartial 
reader, that the emperor could even for a rnoment 
entertain so barbarous a scheme. 

Besides a truce of ten years, a treaty of coni^ 
merce was signed between the subjects of the two 
monarchs, so that each country w^as bona- fide \n 
a state of peace. The duke, however, feeble in 
resource, despised by one, disliked by another, and 
exposed to the revenge of all, was obliged to sub- 
mit to the alienation of his estates durino; tej4 



HISTORY OF NICE, 311 

years, and what was yet more ignomiiious, found 
himself necessitated to] sign over his inheritance for 
that period, or not to be included in the treaty. 

It is with pain I rejate the persecution of a Prince 
of Savoy, since these rigorous measures can bear 
no other interpretation. Oppression almost always 
succeeds misfortune, for Francis having materially 
injured the feelings of an helpless monarch, w^ant- 
ed even to deprive him of his last possession. Go, 
said the king, to the duke, and advise him to 
relinquish the county of Nice, and I will make 
him compensation in France. I will give him 
other estates, that shall bring him in twenty thou- 
sand crowns rent. But the duke instead of listen- 
ing to the insulting propositions of Francis, recol- 
lected that though unfortunate, and circumscribed 
in power, he was a man and a prince, aricl with a 
spirit and indignation becoming his rank and an- 
cestors, replied, that he would never acquiesce in 
the views of France ; on the contrary, that no one 
should, impede his dying, at least. Count of Nice. 

The French king had even the cruelty to inform 
the duke, that he, for form sake, would retain 



|51f HISTORY OF NICE. 

Tqrin, iMoncalier, and several other towns till 9, 
peace should be concluded with the emperor, at 
which proposal Charles was exceedingly mortified^ 
but ended, by saying, that whenever his majesty 
would return him his country, he would willingly 
^gree to his retaining a place as surety of his affec- 
tion towards France. 

The duke seeing no hopes of having his terri- 
tory restored, w^ent to the Diet of Ratisbon in 
1541, to complain to the electors, and princes of 
^he empire, of the wrong the king did him, ex- 
|iorting them to espouse his quarrel. He was 
promised support, notwithstanding the intrigues of 
the Frejich court. 

During these commotions, those cities which 
the French did not take, the emperor took care tq 
SjecurCj so that at last, Nice was the only ex- 
ception. Frpm such active measures the duke 
naturall}^ concluded, they sought to becomsi 
permanent masters of his lawful inheritance, and 
such was his deplorable condition, that he saw nc^ 
hopei^, but in rekindling the flames of war. The 
|3evise he ^idopted in his desperatiop^ was a pakecj 



HISTORY OF NICE. Slf 

^rm, with a sword, and this inscription : " Spolia- 
tis arma supersant.'^ 

In vain did the ambassadors on the side of 
Francis apd Charles Y. strive to maintain the good 
understanding between their respective sovereigns, 
Hostjhties recommenced after some time, and soon 
Jed to gn attack upon Nice. The coalition of the 
French and Turks, which had been productive of 
^uch little advantage in 1536, from the scraples 
of the king and the cries of Europe agai»nst the 
league, was in 1543 more elhcacious. The four 
greatest monarchs of the age, Henry VHI. Charle§ 
y. Fraqcis I. and Soiimaa J I. were engaged in 
|;he campaign. 

Francis openly sought the alliance of the Turks, 
whose custom it was to burn every town belong- 
ing to the Christians, and to condemn tiie inha- 
bitants to dungeons. 

The result of the French embassy to the Otto- 
man empire, was that of Soli man's dispatching a 
hundred and ten galleys, under the command of 
the famous Barbarossa, to join the French fleet off 
|he coast of Provence. Previously, however, to the 



314 HISTORY OF NICE. 

arrival of Barbarossa, Grignan, governor of Mar- 
seilles, proposed making an expedition against 
the castle of Nice. The French fleet was com- 
manded by the Duke d'Enghien, who concerted 
with the governor upon this project, and then 
with his majesty, who entrusted the execution 
of it to so young a hero. It was undertaken 
from. the promise of three Piedmontese soldiers 
to deliver up the castle. They were put on hoard 
the four galleys that were to approach Nice, whilst 
the Count d'Enghien followed with the rest of 
the fleet, taking his station in open sea off the 
height of Nice, either to assist if necessary, or to 
retreat in case of danger. Giannetino Doria, who 
had been written to by the Prince of Piedmont, 
and apprized of the intention of the French, was 
lying in ambush with several galleys: he rushed for--- 
ward as the enemy approached, took four galleys 
before they could reach Antibes, and obliged the 
rest to fly. The Duke d'Enghien made the best 
of his way to Toulon, dissatisfied with the expe^ 
dition. lie was pursued by Giannetino for some 
time, who finding that he could not make up tQ 



MiSTOPuY OF NICE. ^i«5 

the duke's squadron, returned to Nice with his 
prizes. 

Barbarossa arriving shortly after this event 
with 174? vessels of various descriptions, pass- 
ed before the castle of Nice, and landed at an 
island in the sea of Provence, after vi^hich, the 
Ottoman and French fleets united their forces at 
Toulon and Marseilles. The Count d'Enghien 
and Barbarossa agreed to lose no time, but to pro- 
ceed immediately to the siege of Nice. The reply 
of ^lontfort the governor, upon being summoned 
to surrender, was this ; My name is ^lontfort, and 
my devise " il me faut tenir.'^ Pressed, however, 
by the besiegers, he was obliged to give up the 
town and seek refuge in the castle, where the 
garrison retired, taking every thing that was valu- 
able with them, being aware of the customary pil- 
l^ige the Turks make on entering a Christian town. 
The enemy, anxious to get possession of the fort- 
ress, erected several batteries of cannon, and 
being aided by a naval armament, played inces- 
santly on the town, declaring they would not 
discontinue the ire until it capitulated. It was 



316 HISTORY OF NIGE^ 

with great difficulty the Duke d'Enghien prevail- 
ed on Barbarossa not to burn the town, an event 
which he the more desired, as there was no plun- 
der. The declaration of the besiegers v^as, how- 
ever, of but litde consequence, for the walls of 
the castle were top strong, and the fortifications 
too well maintained to be demolished by the cannon 
pf Barbarossa. This famous pirate pretended, that 
the French did not attack it with skill, and was 
of opinion, that it was impregnable. Besides 
which, the besiegers learned from intercepted 
letters, that the Duke of Savoy and the Marquis 
de Guast were marching to its relief. Of this 
they could have no idea, as it was scarcely pos- 
sible that de Guast, should be in a state to come 
to the relief of the castle. On the 8th September^ 
the allies worn out by fatigue, by the loss of men, 
and being disconcerted in their plans, raised the 
j?iege. Barbarossa sailed to Toulon, and the Count 
of d'Eni>hien to Marseilles, but the former did not 
quit his enterprize without giving a dreadful mark 
of his cruelty. It was stipulated in the surrender 
pf the town to make no pillage, and to respec^ 



History of nice. 317 

the lives and liberties of the. citizens, but the 
capitulation was violated. The Turks took away 
5200 inhabitants, and sent them to Soliman,* but 
their captivity was not of long duration : for being 
luckily met by the combined squadrons of Malta, 
Naples, and Sicily, they were retaken and re- 
gained their hberty. The Nissards signahzed on 
this occasion their courage, and attachment to the 
house of Savoy, 

The defeat of the French and the Turks was a 
great triumph to the duke, who had a medal 
struck, bearing on one side the cross of Savoy, sur- 
rounded with attributes of victory : on the other 
Was written '' Nicasa a Turcis et Gallis obsessa." 

On the 9th September, the very day after the 
siege was raised, messengers approached the cas- 
tle, and announced the news of the duke's arrival, 
and on the 1 jth, the Duke of Savoy and the Mar- 
quis de Guast had the satis&ction to enter there 
with the army. 

1 he galleys which landed the army were driven 

* The statue of Catherine Seqiieiran commemorates this 
event. {See page y,) 



318 HISTORY OF NICE. 

on shore in the pprt of Villa-franca, and experi- 
enced so dreadful a tempest that Doria lost four, 
and had a great deal of difficulty to save his artil- 
lery. One of the officers of the guard of Barba- 
rossa, hearing the news of this misfortune, hurried 
him to put to sea, to cope with the armament 
thus thrown into disorder. A contrary wind, 
however, changed Barbarossa's determination : 
yet he sent 25 galleys, and the same number of 
French vessels, but as no attack was made 
they returned again to the harbour of Toulon. 

The enemy dispersed, the duke thought of 
collecting together the inhabitants, of extolling 
the valour of Montfort and Paul Simion, and of 
rewarding the soldiers and officers for the laurels 
obtained on this memorable occasion. The go- 
vernment of the town and county of Nice, with 
the rank of lieutenant general, were given to Mont- 
fort as a proof of his sovereign's esteem. 

The misfortunes of Charles seemed to turn to 
the glory of Emanuel Philibert, and the servitude 
and loss of his country to tte renown of his suc- 
cessor: for during the reign of this prince, we 



HISTORY OF NICE. t319 

observe a country almost shipwrecked by the arms 
of France and Germany, revive upon its ruins, 
and again become formidable. 

Nice, however, was threatened with another storm 
in I555j and Duke Emanuel Philibert, hearing 
it was the intention of the Turks to attack Nice by 
a naval armament, a circumstance which obliged 
him to be upon his guard, dispatched Andrew 
Provana to order the fortifications of Villa-franca 
to be strengthened, wherein he was so successful 
and diligent, that the Turks understanding this 
manoeuvre, and aware of the courage of the go- 
yernor and garrison, neither attacked Nice nor 
Villa-franca, but beat a retreat more agreeable to 
the Nissards than to themselves. 

Emanuel Philibert in the treaty of the 3d April, 
1559, was put in possession of a great many of 
those states, which Charles had seen successive- 
]y fall into the power of Germans and French- 
men. Turin, Pignerol, Quiers, Chevois, Ver- 
ieil, and Asti, were restored to their legitimate 
prince. 

But the duke could not rest without tryum to 



326 illSTORY OF NICE. 

recover Turiri, arid at a conference held at Lyoilii 
in 1 560, his annbassadors urged every argument 
to shew the duke^s right over it. The ambassadors 
of France strove on their part to shew the claims of 
their sovereign to the cdunty of Nic^, the tovvns of 
Turin, Coni, &c. With regard to What concerns 
the former it Was replied by the duke'^ depu- 
ties, that the county gave itself to Amadseus the; 
red, and that the successors of his highness were 
invested with it by the Emperors of German}*^? 
besides which, Francis I. had renounced all th^ 
pretensions that he, or his successors, could havci 
to it 

The negotiation, however, turned to th^ ad- 
vantage of the dukcjand in 156:3, he entered Turin 
amidst the acclamations of every rank of people. 

Emanuel Philiberti not only recovered thd 
States which his father had the misfortune to lose^ 
but extended them considerably on the side of 
Nice. 

I digress here for a moment, to relate a (furious 
anecdote of the Duchess of Savoy. TheRen^gadeJ 
Ochiali, a famous Calabrian Corsair, having maJei 



HISTORY OF NICE. 321 

a descent on the estates of Duke Emanuel, during 
his highness's stay at Nice, took a vast number of 
prisoners, whom the duke ransomed for 12,000 
crowns. And it was furthermore stipulated that 
the barbarian, agreeably to his wishes, should 
have the honor of seeing the duchess before they 
were set at liberty. The duke consented, and 
Ochiali set off from Villa-franca, for Nice ; but as 
her highness had no desire to receive the compli- 
ments of the pirate, she put on the dress of Ma- 
dame de Raconis, and changed places with her, 
thus enjoying the error, and punishing the temerity 
of the barbarian adventurer. 

In the subsequent disturbances of Provence, 
the Duke of Savoy was called upon by the inha- 
bitants of that county, to assist them against the 
forces of la Yalette, who with the view to suppress 
the revolt of Aix, Aries, Marseilles, and other 
large towns, had recurred to the Duke of Mont- 
morency, governor of Languedoc, and to Lesdi- 
guieres, lieutenant of the King of France in Dau- 
phiny. The duke dispatched some officers of 
distinction, and soldiers obtained from the county 

Y 



32'2 HISTORY OF NICE. 

of Nice, to the assistance of the league ; and shortly 
after la Yalette was obliged to relinquish his de- 
signs upon Antibes through the perfidy of a Nis- 
sard, but in revenge seized upon Toulon. 

The duke supplied the league with fresh suc- 
cours after the loss of that town; the troops, artil- 
lery, and ammunition, were all reviewed at Nice, 
and 12,000 crowns were given to pay the soldiers. 

At the solicitation of the Provencaux, the duke 
was ultimately prevailed on to engage more warm- 
ly in their cause, though for some time he hesi- 
tated, pleading the greatness of his other occupa- 
tions. On the l6th of October, 1^90) he quitted 
Nice with all the forces designed for Provence, 
accompanied by the presidents of Aix, who were 
come thither to accelerate his departure. He 
passed Antibes, -Grasse, and took two or three 
castles in his way to Aix, w^here the nobility of 
the town, and persons of rank, received him with 
extraordinary distinction. 

Leaving his operations here in 1599 to return 
to Nice, he watched narrowly the conduct of the 
Count de Bar, governor of Antibes, whom he 



HISTORY OF NICE. 323 

suspected of being in alliance with Lesdiguieres. 
The sequel proved that the suspicion was just> 
for as soon as the duke decided to attack Antibes, 
the mask fell by his calling Lesdiguieres to his 
support. Incensed at this proceeding, the duke im- 
mediately besieged the town, and ahhough Bar 
escaped, the. conquerors obtained a great booty, 
money, and several pieces of cannon. The duke 
next departed for the battle of Yignon, where he 
met with a severe repulse ; Lesdiguieres attacked 
his troops, and put them to flight. 

The situation of the French king was now ameli- 
orating fast) many towns had submitted to his gene- 
rals,and the duke began to fearfor the security of his 
own estates. Amidst various events, the town of 
St. Stephen, in the county of Nice, was seized upon, 
to which place the duke instantly dispatched some 
of his Piedmontese infantry, and a proportionate 
number of horsemen, to rescue it from the enemy. 
The prudence of the duke was surpassed by the 
vigilance and activity of the governor of the 
county of Nice, who had without delay attacked 
the place and rendered himself master of it, as 

Y 2 



32i HISTORY OF NICE. 

well as of two others, which were occupied by 
the enemy^s troops. 

St. Stephen, however, again fell a sacrifice to 
the French, but was retaken in the year 1598. 
The inconveniences which the county of Nice 
suffered from the occupation of that place, made 
Beuil the governor of the county, besiege it very 
vigorously, so that after nine days, Gas, the com- 
mander, capitulated. But the war between the 
king and duke still raged with mutual violence : 
the Duke de Guise, in 1 600, attempted to surprize 
the castle of Nice de-la- Faille, vihich owing to 
the courage and vigilance of Bobba, the governor, 
failed. The French fled after a few discharges of 
cannon. The duke, as a token of flight, did the 
inhabitants of the town the honor of leaving them 
his hat and sword, which were placed as trophies 
in the church. 

In 1629, the King of France gave orders for 
the equipment of a large naval force in Provence, 
to guard the coasts of Nice, and gave the com- 
mand of it to the Marquis de Guise. The cala- 
mities with which Nice was now menaced were 



HISTORY OF NICE. 325 

averted, for the duke fearing the consequences of 
a contest with the king, agreed by the treaty of 
Suza, to let his majesty and army pass through 
his states, in order to succour Gasal, and as a 
pledge of his design, gave up to the king the 
citadel of Suza, and the castle of St Francis, on con- 
dition of their being garrisoned by Swdss soldiers. 
This pacification presaged a happy omen for 
Nice and its environs, for no sooner was the 
arrangement made, than the naval armament which 
appeared off the coast, and which had absolutely 
demanded a passage for some troops, of D. Felix, 
governor of the county, to enter Italy, hoisted 
signals of departure, and put back without 
delay, The treaty was however annulled, and 
another made in its pl-^ce. 

An event prior to the death of Charles Emanuel, 
is said to have occurred at Nice de-la-Paille. A 
dreadful thunder-bolt fell on the castle, ominous 
of this monarch's approaching end. A tall tree 
behind the castle was rent, and the gunpowder 
magazines at Montmelian exploded. A peasant 
is said to have predicted his death. 



3^6 HISTORY OF NICE, 

Besides erecting churches and other edifices, 
Charles ordered a waggon road to be cut in the 
midst of sharp overhanging rocks, from Saorgio to 
Nice, where mules formerly passed with extreme 
difficulty. The following approbatory lines were 
composed on the occasion : 

*^ Quem tlbi parturiunt monies, sillcesq. triumphum 
(Ausis qui solus major es ipse tuis) 
Te duce Nicaenam via dum proclivis ad urbem 
Qu^ modo vix avibus pervia praebet iter. 
Postera cognoscit, prsesens mirabitur aetas 
Imperio monies succubuisse tuo.^* 

Nice witnessed a scene of social and royal amity 
in 1561', a circumstance highly gratifying on ac- 
count of its rare occurrence within its warlike 
walls. During the period that the duke and 
duchess were preparing to meet King Charles IX. 
and Queen Catherine of Medicis his mother, at 
Lyons, by royal invitation, the children of the 
Emperor Maximilian, Rodolph and Ernest, Arch- 
dukes of Austria, arrived at Turin in their way to 
Spain ; on which the duke did not fail to send de^ 
putics to compliment them, to treat them with ex* 



HISTORY OF NICE. 327 

treme magnificence and invite them to Nice. 
Here they met with all possible attention, and had 
galleys lent them by his highness to go to Spain. 

Nice had often the honor of a royal visit, and 
frequently received the family of its sovereign, and 
bad given birth to several of the blood royal of 
Savoy, Sometimes health, pleasure, or the posi- 
tion of affairs, induced the dukes to reside there. 
At others, they only made a visit. Nice was the 
spot the dukes generally posted themselves in, 
during the wars of Provence and Piedmont : hence 
they drew their principal succours, while the coun- 
ty at large supplied them with good officers and 
loyal soldiers. 

Nice was brought more into repute in 1585, by 
the immense retinue that followed Charles Ema- 
nuel in his voyage to Spain, whither he was going 
to marry Catherine, daughter of King Philip II. 
His highness proceeded from Turin, followed by 
100 personages of the highest rank of Piedmont 
and Savoy. The embarkation of this illustrious 
retinue took place at Nice, on board the prince of 
Doria's galleys. 



32S HISTORY OF NICE 

In 1616, the Spaniards made an attack upon 
the castle and town of Nice, but with no better 
success than the Ottoman pirate. The vigilance 
of the governor, and the bravery of the garrison, 
were superior to the efforts of the enemy. In 
1617, a similar attempt was made by the French, 
but they met with the same resistance, and were 
compelled to retreat without completing the object 
of their wishes. 

The Nissards, how^ever, experienced a fatal 
reverse in I69I. The preceding year, Victor^ 
Amadaeus II. King of Sardinia, had leagued with , 
Spain and Germany against France, and no sooner 
were his intentions known, than the French king 
dispatched St. Ruth to carry hostilities into Savoy, 
and the Marshal deCatinat to act against Piedmont. 
The success of the French was so brilliant, that 
the King of Sardinia lost nearly all his estates, and 
was compelled to make a separate peace, by which 
means he recovered his possessions. The import- 
ance of the castle of Nice had drawn on the inha* 
bitants, the animosity of Louis^XIV. whose all- 
powerful arms were now directed against it. The 



HISTORY OF NICE. 399 

frequent repulses of the French at Nice had 
highly mortified the pride of the French nation, 
and acted as a new incentive to their sovereign 
to get possession of it at any rate. Louis, who 
had resolved to conduct th« siege of Mons in 
person, could not conveniently march to Nice, 
but gave orders for the Marshal de Catinat, ge- 
neral of the army of Italy, to enter the county : 
two squadrons, one composed of vessels, the other 
of galleys, were directed to occupy the sea, and 
prevent the enemy throwing in succour, while the 
army attacked it by land. The town and castle 
of Villa-franca, the fort of Mont-Alban, and some 
other forts, surrendered at the first summons. 
The town of Nice resisted but a day, and the 
governor retired into the castle, which was vigor- 
ously besieged. Three brisk attacks were made, 
notwithstanding the difficulty.of the ground, which 
consisting almost wholly of rock, rendered the 
enterprize dangerous and doubtful. The crevvs 
of the vessels disembarked the artillery, and erect- 
ed several batteries, amongst others, one con- 
sisting of mortar^, which was so directed that 



330 HISTORY OF NICE. 

three bombs fell into the magazine of powder, 
and blew it up, demolishing at the same time a 
part of the castle, and killing upwards of five 
hundred men. The French encouraged at this 
success, advanced their works nearer the fortress, 
and continued the bombardment with redoubled 
•vigour. Another bomb destroyed a second maga- 
zine, containing bombs and grenades, together 
with a part of the fortification ; a circumstance 
which created such panic in the besieged, that the 
governor shortly after capitulated, well satisfied 
at being able to obtain an honorable accommoda- 
tion. This event gave rise to the coining of a 
medal. The town is thereon represented in the 
person of a woman, together with a shield bearing 
the arms of Nice. She is seen in great consterna- 
tion at the citadel being demolished. The words 
are " Nic^a capta," On the reverse of the 
medal is the head of Louis XIV, 

Succeeding attempts were made upon this for- 
midable castle. The siege in 1691 demolished a 
great part of it and injured the town exceedingly, 
but its complete destruction was not effected till 



HISTORY OF NICE. 331 

17Q6, when the Duke of Berwick, at the head of 
a numerous army, laid it in ashes. The French 
king first ordered the Duke de la Feuillade to 
besiege Nice, hoping by that means to prevent the 
Duke of Savoy receiving any succour ; but the ope- 
rations of this officer were chiefly directed against 
Savoy and Piedmont, where he was so entirely suc- 
cessful as to make himself nearly master of the tw^o 
countries. AmongstotherexploitshebesiegedTuria 
on the 4th June, 1706, but the Duke of Savoy, and 
Prince Eugene having beaten the army of the Duke 
of Orleans, and gained a decisive advantage over 
it, he was forced to quit his enterprize. This 
victory, therefore, saved Turin, and enabled 
the Duke of Savoy to recover the whole of Pied- 
mont. It was undertaken in March, but as 
the artillery and ammunition which came by sea, 
were retarded by adverse winds, the besiegers 
could not open all the batteries at the same time. 
However, the castle of Yilla-franca, the forts of 
St. Ospicio, and Mont-Alban, which served as a 
defence to the town, were carried in a few days. 
The governor then judging it prudent to avoid -en 
1 



332 HISTORY OF NICE. 

assault, which he was unable to support, aban- 
doned the town the 9th of April, and retired with 
the garrison into the castle, where there were 110 
pieces of cannon and every sort of military stores. 
On the 14th of November, of the same year, the 
Duke of Berwick besieged it, and conducted the 
attacks with such vigour and wisdom, that the 
governor was obliged to capitulate the 4th . of 
January following. The whole of the fortifica^ 
tions were entirely demolished, and have never 
since been repaired. A medal was also struck 
upon this occasion. On it, the town is seen in 
the person of a woman in chains, sitting at the 
foot of a monument, with a globe on the top, 
bearing the arms of France, and her shield lying 
at her feet. The citadel is seen behind,^ with 
several breaches in the walls. The words around 
it are " Nicaea iterum expugnata." On the other 
side of the medal is represented the head of Louis 
XIV. 

The misfortunes of war were not the only ones 
the Nissards had to contend with, though the 
miseries it creat-^d from the year 1681, to the 



HISTORY OF NICE. 333 

month of September, 1696, and from 1701, to the 
peace of Utrecht, were incalculable. 

French and Austrian troops constantly occupied 
their territory : their towns were ever besieged ; 
the conquerors and conquered alternately in pos- 
session of their finest estates. The extortions of 
the one, and the miseries of the other, were alike 
disastrous. To these calamities succeeded the 
excessive cold in the month of January, 1709, 
which destroyed all their fruit trees, and a vast 
number of oHve trees. Then succeeded the epi- 
demic disease of 1736, w4iich proved fatal to 
upwards of three thousand of the inhabitants. 

Since the union of Nice with Savoy, they were 
both involved in a common fate, so that the war 
of 1741, in which most of the monarchs of Eu- 
rope took a part, proved another source of vicissi- 
tude to the Nissards. Ambition conductino- each 
monarch to the field of glory, the most flourishing 
countries were pillaged, territory taken from some 
and given to others, and the massacre of their 
subjects contemplated with the utmost sang-froid. 
When England, Austria, France, and Spain, had 

3 



33i: HISTORY OF NICE. 

entered into the war, Italy, which was peaceably 
governed by its httle potentates, began also to 
take the alarm, and on the report of the approach 
of an army in their country sought a coalition 
with Charles Emanuel III. King of Sardinia, who 
promised to defend them against the French and 
Spaniards. 

This sovereign, who w^as the master and the 
guardian of the Alps, was courted by all the 
contending parties, his central situation enabling 
him to promote or check the progress of the 
armies. He decided for the Austrians, and blocked 
up the passage of the Alps, which induced the 
Prince de Conti to force the highest mountains, 
and fall upon the Piedmontese soldiery. This suc- 
cess was followed by the capture of the garrisons 
of Yilla-franca, Mont-Alban, an hundred and 
twenty pieces of cannon, and the whole of the 
county of Nice. Such events were highly glorious 
to the French arms, but frequent skirmishes be- 
tween the rear of their army and the Sardinians, b, 
desperate slaughter of them, when they approach- 
ed tile enemy's entrenchments, extreme distress 



HISTORY OF NICE. 33^ 

and want of sustenance obliged them to re-cros3 
the Alps, and leave the field of battle to the King 
of Sardinia. The Austro-Sardinian army was now 
completely victorious, and succeeded in expelling 
the French and Spaniards from the western ex- 
tremity of Italy. The Alps were again within the 
protection of their true guardian ; and the towns 
of Nice, Yilla-franca, Tortona, Plaisance, Parma, 
Pavia, Milan, &c. all fell into the hands of the 
victorious army. This was not all, for the allies 
soon passed the Var, took Grasse and Draguinan, 
and besieged Antibes. The latter town resisted 
the efforts of the enemy for four weeks, but was 
at the end of that period obliged to capitulate. 
The French now began to fear, as the Spanish 
army was retreating, that they must totally relin- 
quish the banks of the Var. War was pushed 
W'ith the utmost vigour in the vicinity of Nice, 
both by sea and land. The English attacked the 
island of St. Margaret, and bombarded the towns 
along the coast, at the time the Austrians laid 
siege to Antibes. 

The misfortunes which befel Maillebois, were 



336 HISTORY OF KIC^. 

aggravated by bis disputes witb tbe Spanish chief, 
and indeed, they so much increased the despon- 
dency of tbe Frencb, that the Cabinet of Ver- 
sailles deemed it advisable to send the Marshal 
de Belleilse to take the conamand of the arm v. 
The scattered remnants of the French forces were 
now collected with all possible dispatch, and 
ordered to encamp at Le Luc. Belleilse, more 
fortunate than his predecessor, marched, and took 
some posts from the enemy in the county of Nice ; 
and being then on the other side of the Var, he 
began to entertain hopes of penetrating Italy, and 
that with the more ease, as tiie bulk of the King 
of Sardinia's forces were before Genoa. 

In this object, however, he completely failed, 
foranAustro-Sardinian army, consisting of twenty- 
geven battalions, was distrib^ited over the county 
of Nice, and the defiles of tiie Alps were occu- 
pied by entrenchments. A dreadful massacre of 
his troops took place on the Col-de-l'Assiette, the 
Col-di-Tenda, and in all tlie directions they en- 
deavoured to cross the barrier before them. The 
Piedmontese were so posted, thpt they could 



HISTORY OF NICE. 537 

destroy all the advanced line of the enemyj with- 
out suffering from their fire. 

After this shocking slaughter, and signal defeat, 
the theatre of war was transferred to Genoa, whi- 
ther the Duke de Richelieu was sent to contend 
with the Austro-Sardinian troops. 

These numerous misfortunes made the French 
very despondent; and, but for the energy of 
Marshal de Bel leisle, they would have sunk under 
them. The Marshal had no sooner effected 
the passage of the Yar, than he tooji possession 
of Nice, Mont-Alban, Villa-franca, and Vintimig- 
lia, almost without resistance, and compelled the 
Austrians under Count Brown, to retreat towards 
Final : nor was he without hopes of obhging the 
King of Sardinia to quit his enterprize, and with- 
draw liis troops from the other side of the Alps. 
The Marshal, however, met with too formidable a 
barrier in the entrenchments of the king, to pene^ 
trate into Italy by Fenestrelles, Exilles, and the 
Col-di-Tenda. A dreadful massacre succeeded 
the passage of the Var ; the Piedmontese soldiers 
being so placed in the Alps, that they could fire 



"SS'S " ' HISTOIIY OF NICE. 

on the aikaoced lioe of the enemy without being 
exposed themsekes. After this memorable event, 
the seat of war was traosferred to Genoa. 

Tlie coonty of Nice suffered a great deal during 
the conflicts of the allies and the French, parti- 
cularly in the cultivation of olives and vines ; 
though the Mai^hai de Belleisle, to his very great 
credit, forbade the soldiers under pain of severe 
punishment to commit the smallest depredation* 

France, from being exceedingly exhausted by 
the continuance of the war, and disgusted at the 
weakness of government for having entered into 
it, zt the instigation of Madame de Maiily, was 
FiOW anxious for a peace, even upon disadvantage-. 
Ous terms. Not ^ny of the Belligerent powers 
were adverse to put an end to their disputes, 
fioping by that m^ans, to be able to pursue therf 
real interests which had been so long neglected. 
Madame de Maiily had all povi^er and empire at 
the court of Versailles ; she threw the apple of dis* 
cord into Europe, and produced as great disputes 
amongst mankind, as formerly occurred in Olym- 
pys. It is singular, that the monarchs of the pge 



HISTORY OF NICE. 33^ 

could not restore peace to the world, and that the 
address of a Madame de Pompadour was requisite 
to disarm those whom Madame de Mailly had 
persuaded to unsheath their swords. 

The King of Sardinia was put in possession of 
all that was ceded to him by the treaty of Worms : 
the Duke of Modena was reinstated in his states : 
Austria resigned to Don Philip the duchies of 
Parma, Placentia, and Guastalla : Silesia and the 
county of Glatz were joined to Prussia : and the 
fortifications of Dunkirk remained statuquo. The 
war of Flanders, Germany, and Italy, materially 
checked the external and internal resources of 
France, and tended, perhaps, to hasteti her to the 
dreadful revolution which she has lately sustained. 
The various disasters brought on by the war in 
Italy, in 1744, were prolonged until thje peace 
of Aix la Chapelle in 1748, when tranquilhty 
was once more re-established in this unhappy 
country. 

Here ended for a time the reverses of this town, 
and it now witnessed its happiest days. The year 
aflier the peace, the Nissards constructed a port, 

z 2 



§40 HISTORY OF NICE. 

which is entirely the work of art ; nature has merely 
formed the spot on a little projection of ground to 
the east of the rock, whefe formerly stood the 
castle, and to the west of the mountain of Mont- 
boron, near which is seen thefort of Mont-Alban. 
The ancient privileges of the town were renew- 
ed the same year, and other prerogatives granted. 
• A little time after this, the road to Turin was 
repaired and embellished, an improvement which 
has certainly contributed to render the town more 
flourishing. 



SECTION XXVIIL 

MCE RECONQUERED BY THE FRENCH, AND AT 
PRESENT UNDER THEIR DOMINION. 

It is worth observing here, that although Nice, 
after the second race of French kings, no longer 
formed a part of the French, monarchy, the inha- 
bitants, as well of the town as the county, enjoyed 
many privileges inj^rance. They always succeeded 
to t^ii fortunes, the same as if they were residents 



HISTORY OF NICE. 341 

of it, and in case of the death of their friends or 
relatives, who had fixed their abode in the French 
dominions, they could take possession of what 
was bequeathed them without quitting their own 
country. They enjoyed nearly the same rights 
aS'Frenclimen, and to be entitled to them, they 
had no need of letters of naturalization. 

Neither will it be out of place to mention, that 
in the year 1760, a treaty of exchange was enter- 
ed into, and ratified by the Kings of France and 
Sardinia, by which act, several towns in Provence 
were united to the county of Nice. His Sardinian 
majesty gave the French king an equivalent for 
them, in some other part of his dominions. 

AfKiirs remained in this posture, until the be- 
ginning of the convention, in 1792, when a large 
body of French troops, commanded by general 
Anselme, entered Nice. The Piedmontese sol- 
diers, to the number of about six thousand, alarmed 
at the approach of the republican battalions, eva- 
cuated the town two days before, and retired to 
Saorgio. This proceeding was not likely to en- 
courage the Nissards, who, siezec} withpaniq. iu 



342 HISTORY 6F NICE. 

their turn took flight also, together with a number 
of emigrants, carrying httle else with them but 
their clothes. The greatest disorder succeeded 
in the town; the furniture and other property of 
the most respectable families were committed to 
the flames ; the plunder became general, and to. 
the disgrace of many of the inhabitants, they aided 
in the universal pillage, profiting by the pre- 
sence of the French, to increase the misery of 
their neighbours. 

The Piedmontese soldiery during this interval, 
sought every occasion of descending from Saorgio, 
to fall upon the enemy, and a variety of skirmishes 
ensued betiveen them. The scene of their con- 
flicts was the neighbourhood of Nice, of which 
there remain to this day, but too many vestiges. 
The houses in the Croix de Marbre, and the major 
part of the villas which adorned the surround- 
ing hills, yet retain the horrid marks of republic 
can fury. These demolished, the French next 
proceeded to cut the vines and olive trees, and ia 
short, made a wilderness arouiid them. The 
territory of Nice thus degre^ded, they put jn exo 



H1«T0RV OF NICE, 343' 

cution the same wanton mischief on the fine soil 
of Sospello and Bregho. 

The Gomniencement of the campaign proving 
so highly advantageous to the repuhhcan armies, 
it was to be expected, that Viiia-franca, I\Iont- 
i\lban, and the adjacent country would soon fall 
into their hands. Whilst Anselme thus furnished 
himself with the artillery, ammunition, and pro^ 
visions of the Piedmontese garrisons, Montes- 
quiou, with similar success, overran the province 
of Savoy, and planted on the lofty mountains that 
surrounded him, the colours of the republic. 

The hold, hovvever, which thePiedmontese had, 
at the same time that it checked for a moment 
the progress of their arms, only served to inspirit 
the French to new enterprizes. They resolved to 
get possession of Saorgio, and attempted to pene- 
trate there by Breglio, but the narrowness of the 
defile, and the bravery of the Piedmontese, were 
obstacles more difficult to surmount, than they at 
fir^t had imngined. They met this time with a con- 
siderable loss, and were obliged to relinquish the 
project of attacking it in front ; but not without 



$^% HISTORY OF NICE. 

much regret, and a determination to make a second 
trial. With this view, a column of the army was 
directed to pass by Vintimiglia, Dolce-aqua, and 
Mont-Tanardo, and then to descend by Briga, 
ill order to attack the fort behind. The com- 
mandant, whose name was St. Amour, capitulated, 
to his eternal disgrace, the first day, Hotwithstand- 
ing he had a large supply of provisions, and, was 
in every way, in a state to make a vigorous de- 
fence. The fort was afterwards razed by com- 
mand of the French. 

At this period of the revolution, Nice w^as 
alternately the scene of the defeat and victories 
of the French. Canton ned to the number of 
20,000 in this county, in 1793, the principality 
of Oneglia was the next adjacent county v^diich 
felt the force of their arms. When they had 
secured this part of the Mediterranean coast, the 
army was formed into two divisions, of which 
one marched towards France, the other to com- 
pose an expedition to act against Sardinia. 
, But now the successful career of the repub- 
lican troops, in an attempt to take the islan 1* 



History of nice. 545 

received a severe check ; and the only alternative 
left them, was a retreat as precipitate as it was 
disastrous. The loss they sustained upon this 
occasion, though not exactly -known, was very 
considerable. 

The army of Italy, of which the command had 
been given to Anselme, was also without its leader. 
This general having incurred the displeasure of 
the Convention, from some circumstance of sus- 
picion, was put under arrest, and confined at 
Nice, the city which had so recently been the 
scene of his triumph. 

Coni was the next object of enterprize, but 
here the besiegers met with such resistance, that 
after making several unavailing efforts, they were 
obliged to quit their undertaking, and once more 
seek an asylum in the county of Nice. 

The King of Sardinia, however, closely pur- 
sued, in vain attempted to save Turin. Rather 
than sustain a siege, with which he was threatened, 
he abandoned to the enemy Savoy, the counties 
of Nice, and Tenda, by which means the French 
troops had ever after a free passage into Italy. 



M6 HtSTORY OF NIC£. 

Nice then was again doomed i to bear the mis- 
fortunes of war for several years ; it was alwa;^ 
a post of great importance, generally the recep- 
tacle of immense magazines, and in turn possessed 
by the imperialists and republicans. 

I flow cease to describe the scenes of misery 
h must necessarily have witnessed during such a 
period, by remarking, that Melas, who had retired 
from the siege of Genoa, acquired great credit 
for his well conducted march across the Alps, 
to the territory of Nice. His approach, which 
proceeded from Mont Scarena, and the Col- 
di-Tenda, intimidated the French troops at 
Nice : they evacuated the city, but left a gar- 
r-ison in Mont-Alban. The year 1800 promised 
great advantages to the imperialists, but their suc- 
cessful career was checked on the banks of the 
Var, and their prospect from that time was less 
fiivorable. 

Under the dominion of the Kin^ of Sardinia, 

Nice and its territory contained about 34,000 

souls, but now there are not more than two 

thirds of the number. War, emigration, and 

-J ■ ^ 



HISTORY 01^ NICE. 347 

disease, have occasioned this diminution, and are 
the cause of the actual poverty of the country. 
We may also lament the ravages produced by ^ 
the inundations of the Var and the Paglion. 

There are a Yew rich individuals, who like many 
others in various parts of France, have profited 
of the moment of terror to tn^ke their fortunes 
by national purchases: but the property of the 
ci-devant nobility being almost all confiscated, 
and the owners dead or in emigration, there is 
little circulation of money, and great want of con- 
fidence among employers. 

Formerly the Nissards could not export the 
wines and oils of Provence, on account of the 
heavy duties judicious-^Iy imposed, by the King of 
Sardinia, on all ai tides brought from thence to 
Nice, but there being no such taxes now, the pro- 
duce of the eastern parts of Provence will be sent 
there for exportation, which, though it may enable 
the Nissards to carry on a little commerce in the 
time of peace, must necessarily hgrt the interests 
of the Provencaux. The contiguity of Nice to 
Grasse,Draguignan,aud other towns, where there 



S48 HISTORY OB* NICE. 

are large commercial establishments, will doubtless 
prove convenient to the merchants of the country : 
but the favors of the Provencaux can certainly 
never compensate the Nissards for the loss of the 
trade which was carried on between them and 
the Piedmontese. 




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